The Other Waterbender From The Southern Tribe
by misguidedghost77
Summary: Kira is Sokka and Katara's adoptive sister. But after Prince Zuko captures her and she is forced to join him in his chase of the Avatar, she discovers that both her past and her future are not exactly what she had in mind. Follows A:TLA plot. Zuko/OC.
1. Book I: Water - A Twist Of Fate

**The Other Waterbender From The Southern Tribe**

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_Disclaimer: I don't own anything of ATLA._

_A/N: Hi! This is the first fanfic I ever publish, and I was kind of afraid to do it, so please be nice! My native language is Spanish and even though I'm studying translation I feel I still make grammatical mistakes, so I'd love some further help on my grammar._

_I hope you like it :)_

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**Book I: Water**

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_**Chapter 1: A Twist Of Fate**_

I was staring at the open ocean. When would Katara and Sokka return? I felt something tugging from my coat and looked down, to see the round face of Wei Sun, a five year old girl.

"Kira, I'm hungry…" she moaned.

I knelt beside her and brushed her brown hair with my gloved hand.

"I know. But we must trust Katara and Sokka. They've gone for food and will be back soon."

Wei Sun pouted, not comforted. I sighed. It was taking them longer than usual. But lately it had gotten harder to find food for everybody. I heard footsteps behind me and turned around. Gran Gran was smiling at me.

"They should be here by now. Maybe we should go after them?" I suggested.

The old lady sighed. "Patience, Kira. You know as well as I do how hard it has become lately to fish enough for all of us."

I chose to remain silent as I straightened up, still staring at the line of the horizon, forcing my eyes to try to find any tiny spot that could betray Katara and Sokka's return.

Wei Sun, who was still clutching at my leg, had better eyesight than me. "There!" she said, pointing at a tiny black dot over the water. I smiled. _Finally!_ I would so get back on Sokka when they arrived for being late.

I stood at the spot, eyes fixed on the little dot, while Wei Sun ran to warn the village, dragging Gran Gran along and chattering excitedly. When the spot became larger, I realized it did not resemble a canoe. Canoes don't have hairy heads with horns.

"Wei Sun!" I called the small girl, who released Gran Gran's arm to run back at my side. "Can you tell me what that is?"

She narrowed her eyes, trying to make out the strange shape that was –swimming?– towards us. "No… It looks like a monster."

I began to feel uneasy. Of course it wasn't a monster, but what if it was the Fire Nation? The last time they were here had been a few months before I arrived, six years ago. The village still remembered the consequences, and although I hadn't been born here, I knew very well how brutal the Fire Navy soldiers could be. Besides, it had been long enough for their standards. It was likely they would decide to pay us a second visit.

"Wei Sun, could you go bring Gran Gran, please?"

She ran away, as I continued to stare at the spot, which now resembled a huge animal with horns, with some sort of thing on his back where three people could be seen. I could see that two of them wore blue overcoats, but I still feared for my adoptive siblings' safety. What if they had fallen into a trap?

Gran Gran was at my side in a moment. "What is it, Kira?"

"Gran Gran, look at that. What do you see?"

"My dear, I can barely make out anything more than a dark spot in the ocean, with my eyesight. Tell me, what do you see?"

"I see a huge form beneath the water that resembles an animal, with a hairy head with horns, which carries a saddle of some sort on its back. I can see three people lying on it, and I can't distinguish Sokka or Katara from here, but two of the figures wear blue overcoats. The third is smaller, and he or she seems to be dressed in… yellow?" I ventured, trying to give Gran Gran as many details as possible.

"Well, then that's probably Sokka and Katara, and they might have found a friend."

"But what if it's a trick from the Fire Nation?"

The old woman gave me a sad smile. "Kira, that's unlikely. We're too far away from everything, and we have nothing of interest to them. We're just women and children. Why would they come this far?"

I grimaced. Of course she made a lot of sense, as usual. But I still felt uneasy. Something told me deep inside that that thing coming towards us, whatever it was, would change our lives forever.

"Okay," I agreed reluctantly, "but still, I'd like you to stay alert."

"Of course."

As the spot became bigger, I finally got to see Sokka, Katara, and a bald kid wearing yellowish pants. Soon Katara was waving her hand to us, and that was slightly relieving, although my suspicions were far from dying out.

The huge animal finally arrived at our snowy shore, grunting loudly. I ran up the snow slope behind me so I could see what was happening on top of the animal. It did carry a saddle, over which the bald kid seemed to be asleep. He was wearing yellowish pants, and I could see some strange blue-colored tattoos on the skin of his bald head, arms and legs.

Katara leaned over him. "Aang! Aang, wake up!"

Aang awoke with a gasp, revealing a pair of big, innocent-looking, gray eyes. He looked around with an expression of fear, almost as if he had just woken up from a bad dream and was struggling to understand where he was.

Katara placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "It's ok. We're in the village now. Come on, get ready. Everyone's waiting to meet you!"

With these words she barely waited for him to put on an orange shirt before gripping his wrist and dragging him down to the ground.

Aang landed gracefully, holding a wooden staff on his hand, and then stared at the people standing in front of him -that was actually the whole village- with a look of surprise.

"Aang, this is the entire village. Entire village, Aang."

He bowed, but everyone was still naturally weary.

"Uh… why are they all looking at me like that?" he inquired innocently. "Did Appa sneeze on me?" He started to check his clothes, in a rather funny way, I should say, as Gran Gran approached him.

"Well, no one has seen an airbender in a hundred years. We thought they were extinct until my granddaughter and my grandson found you," she explained.

Aang seemed confused at that. "Extinct?"

Wait, an _airbender_? That was the reason for all the funny clothing and the tattoos? I slid back down the snow slope, and ran towards the small group of people, as Katara did the introductions. "Aang, this is my grandmother."

"Call me Gran Gran," she said, with a friendly smile.

I skidded to a halt at Katara's side, covering Sokka with a bunch of snow. She turned towards me.

"And this is Kira, our adopted sister."

"Yeah, sister," Sokka grumbled behind her, shaking the snow off and glaring at me. But I did not pay him any attention, since Aang was much more interesting. My initial weariness had turned into full curiosity by now.

"So you're an airbender?" I asked, as he bowed.

But Sokka interrupted by grabbing his staff. "What is this, a weapon? You can't stab anything with this."

Aang turned back. "It's not for stabbing." Then he created a jet of air that brought the staff back to his hands. "It's for airbending." His fingers touched a spot in the long wooden stick, and suddenly two red wings slashed out of it, turning it into something that resembled a comet.

Naturally, the whole town ooooohhh-ed at him.

"Magic trick!" Wei Sun said, pointing her tiny hand at Aang. "Do it again!" she ordered.

But Aang seemed amused at the little girl's demand. "Not magic, airbending," he replied politely, earning a smile from me. "It lets me control the air currents around my glider and fly.

"Last time I checked, humans couldn't fly," Sokka said sarcastically.

"Check again!" Aang said challengingly as he jumped in the air with his glider. He soared high up in the air, and did some loops up and down. _Showoff_ was the word that came to my mind, but I smiled warmly.

While everyone was marveling over his skills, he locked eyes with Katara, which caused him to crash against Sokka's snow tower. Naturally, Sokka started jumping up and down in rage.

"My watchtower!"

"That was amazing," Katara said, and I could see she was impressed in spite of herself. She approached Aang and helped him up as Sokka examined his snow tower. Aang twirled his staff and the red wings disappeared, as Katara threw a snowball at Sokka, who glared at her from beneath the snow.

"Great. You're an airbender, Katara and Kira are waterbenders, together you can just waste time all day long," he groaned loudly.

Aang's eyes widened. "You're waterbenders!"

"Well… sort of. Not yet," Katara answered humbly.

"But we do train every day," I added, as I built my own snowball to throw at Sokka. "And that's for being late!" He gave me one of his so-called fatal glares, but that only caused me to burst out laughing.

"All right. No more playing," Gran Gran cut in. "Come on, Katara, you have chores."

Luckily I had done all my chores while they were away, so I was free to examine Aang.

"So, these tattoos… are they something from the Air Nomads exclusively?" I asked, trying to create conversation. But the airbender's eyes were fixed on Katara and he did not even seem to realize that I was talking to him. After failing to get his attention, I turned to Sokka, disappointed, only to find that he was grinning maliciously at me, holding a huge snowball in his hands. I quickly dove to the ground, and the snowball missed the target.

"That's not fair!" he complained, kicking at the snow in frustration.

I giggled again. "What's not fair? That I'm a girl and yet I beat you?"

He gave me another fatal glare and began to try to build a bigger snowball.

I grinned evilly. The whole airbender thing had knocked Sokka out of his tight schedule, and that was something he hated. Apparently, he hadn't realized yet, so this was my opportunity to get rid of a possible snowball battle. "Hey Sokka, isn't it time for your lesson?"

Sokka gasped and facepalmed, with an expression of horror. "Darn, you're right!"

Right after that, he started to gather the children for his daily "lessons" on how to defend themselves from the Fire Nation. Of course, none of the children ever paid any attention and only went there to have fun at Sokka, but nobody dared tell him.

A while later, I was sitting on the snow, watching the children playing with Aang, and giggling at Sokka. My elder brother was fuming at his students' desertion, and, obviously, he blamed the newcomer.

"Stop! Stop it right now!" he yelled at Aang. "We don't have time for fun and games with a war going on!"

"What war? What are you talking about?"

"You're kidding, right?" Sokka glared at the bald kid.

But Aang raced after a penguin, ignoring him. Both Katara, who was standing a few feet behind me after having finished with her chores, and I, laughed at his childishness.

Sokka turned to us with a look of incredulity. "He's kidding, right?" I shrugged, and Katara left after the airbender.

I stood up, wiping my snow-stained gloves on my overcoat, and then turned around, walking towards the village. Sokka appeared suddenly at my side, sporting a wide grin.

"Hey Kira…"

"Yup?"

"What are you doing tonight?"

I looked at him, suspicious. "Having dinner and going to sleep. Why?"

"I just thought we could… you know… hang out after dinner…"

I had to refrain from facepalming. _Not again_. I was the only girl of Sokka's age besides his sister in town, and since he did not consider me his blood sister but a friend, he had been making advances on me all summer. I sure did not know why all of a sudden he had started to see me with different eyes, but I definitely did not correspond his crush.

"No, Sokka," I said firmly.

"Oh, come _on_!" he groaned in frustration. "You always rebuff me! When are you going to… you know… date me?"

I smiled in spite of myself. "When you grow up, Sokka," I answered, giving him a smile and a pat on the shoulder before turning my back on him. I knew his feelings were never hurt no matter what I said, but I tried not to be too harsh on him. He was a good guy, but I did not have feelings for him other than sisterly love.

The silence around us was suddenly broken by a powerful explosion, that sounded dangerously close. A column of blue light hit the sky, not far away from the village. Sokka and I stared at it with horror.

"The Fire Nation ship!"

"It must have been the airbender," Sokka growled under his breath as we both ran to the watchtower.

"You're jumping to conclusions, Sokka," I replied, though I was thinking the same thing. I was not angry at Aang, he seemed very innocent, but we had never approached the Fire Nation ship before. We knew too well we weren't supposed to.

"Yay! Aang's back!" Wei Sun cried out nearby.

Sokka immediately strolled towards them. I tried to stop him, placing my hand on his shoulder. "Sokka."

But he shoved me off and approached Katara and Aang, pointing an accusing finger at the airbender. "I knew it! You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?"

"Aang didn't do anything. It was an accident," Katara said quickly.

"Yeah, we were on the ship and there was this booby trap and well… We 'boobied' right into it," Aang added, confirming my earlier suspicion.

"Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger!" Gran Gran chimed in, shaking her head sadly.

"Don't blame Katara!" Aang interrupted. "I brought her there. It's my fault…" He looked down with regret, and I felt bad for him.

But Sokka didn't. "Aha! The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemy!"

The children walked away from Aang and surrounded Gran Gran. "The foreigner is banned from our village!" Sokka added.

"Sokka!" I protested. Aang might have put us in danger, but Sokka was being unnecessarily hard on him.

"Sokka, you're making a mistake," Katara said angrily, raising her voice one tone.

"No!" Sokka replied, frowning and giving his sister a stern look. "I'm keeping my promise to Dad. I'm protecting you from threats like him!"

Katara pointed at Aang with a wide motion of her arm. "Aang is not our enemy! Don't you see? Aang's brought us something we haven't had in a long time. Fun."

Unfortunately, that only seemed to upset Sokka even more. "Fun! We can't fight firebenders with fun!"

"You should try it sometime," Aang suggested with a sweet smile.

But that was not what Sokka wanted to hear, not by a far chance. He seethed at the airbender, pointing at him with his boomerang. "Get out of our village. Now!"

"Sokka! You're being too hard on him!" I intervened, standing beside Katara and facing our elder brother. He was taking his "protector" role out of line. "They just made a mistake! And having Aang here could be helpful. Katara and I need to practice our bending."

Sokka glared at me, but before he could say a word, Katara turned to Gran Gran.

"Grandmother, please, don't let Sokka do this."

The old lady shook her head sadly. "Katara, you knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right. I think it best if the airbender leaves."

"Then I'm banished too! C'mon Aang, let's go!" Katara's violent reaction surprised me. Well, we all were left mouth-opened, but Sokka was the first to recover.

"Where do you think you're going?" he yelled, pointing a gloved finger at his sister.

"To find a waterbender! Aang is taking me to the North Pole!"

"I am?" Aang said, frowning with confusion, and then his eyes brightened up. "Great!"

"Kira, will you come with us?" Katara offered me. My first impulse was to step back, but only because of the hostility on her face. Yet, she misinterpreted me and frowned. "Fine!" she growled, as she turned around and walked towards the big animal with horns that had brought them home earlier.

"Katara!" Sokka reacted, outraged. "Would you really choose him over your tribe? Your own family?"

Katara paused, and her face became clouded with indecision. Aang stepped forward and looked at her in the eyes.

"Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family," he said, and then he walked to the animal's side, which I now remembered he had referred to as Appa.

"So, you're leaving the South Pole?" Katara asked incredulously. "This is goodbye?"

The airbender gave her a sad smile, and his eyes betrayed a hint of a deep melancholy for the first time. "Thanks for penguin sledding with me."

I felt really bad for him, but I said nothing. If Gran Gran had decided he had to leave, I would respect her decision. There was a reason she was our guide and leader.

"Where will you go?" Katara whispered, her voice also filled with sadness.

"Guess I'll go back home and look for the airbenders. Wow, I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to that," Aang answered, as he airbended himself up Appa's head and took the reigns. "It was nice meeting everyone." For a second, he looked at me, and I tried to tell him without words that I was sorry, too, that he had to leave.

"Let's see your bison fly now, air boy," Sokka said maliciously.

"Come on, Appa, you can do it!" Aang cheered the huge animal. "Yip yip!"

But Appa only rumbled and got to his feet.

"Yeah, I thought so," Sokka said venomously. I nudged him in the ribs. "_What?_" he mouthed at me. I gave him a deadly glare for all answer.

Just then Wei Sun ran forward and grabbed Katara's robe, looking at Aang.

"Aang! Don't go! We'll miss you!" she said, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears.

"I'll miss you too," was the simple answer, and then he made Appa turn around and they walked away.

Gran Gran approached Katara, who seemed about to cry too. "Katara, you'll feel better after you–"

"You happy now?" Katara replied angrily, shaking off the old woman, and pointed at the place where Aang and Appa had disappeared from view. "There goes my one chance of becoming a waterbender!"

With those words, she stormed off. Sokka glared at her as he watched her leave, and then put his hands at the sides of his mouth, as if to shout something back to her, but I punched at his ribs again.

"What now?"

"You've ruined the chance of a lifetime for her! Don't make it worse!" I hissed, glaring at him.

Sokka's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're sided with her?"

"Well, I'm a waterbender too, in case you forgot!" I said, poking his chest with my finger. "Go finish your ridiculous class then, if you think it'll be worth for something!"

At this he looked genuinely hurt, but I was angry at him, so I turned around and strolled away, climbing my snow slope once again, while muttering complaints under my breath. As bright as the flare had been, it could probably have called the attention of any ship sailing by, so the chances of getting a visit from the Fire Nation had dramatically increased. That was one of the reasons I had wanted Aang to stay with us, since his abilities might prove useful, but thanks to Sokka, now we were on our own again. And that wasn't saying much.

A little while later, the evening mist started to rise from the ocean, and I watched Sokka finish his class and climb the ice wall, all from my seating position on top of the slope.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake and a deep rumble filled the air. The whole village came out in alarm, and I stood up and tried to make out something through the mist. Sokka's watchtower collapsed, and he fell down with a groan.

My heart skipped a beat as everyone in the Tribe started running around in panic. Katara stood amidst the chaos and then froze as her eyes caught something in the mist. I followed her gaze and saw a huge shadow, which materialized in a Fire Nation ship just in front of our noses.

It was following a collision course with the watchtower itself.

"Sokka!" I yelled in panic, as the bow of the ship aimed to crush him, and then I slid down the slope, running towards him. The idiot took out his weapon and pointed it at the huge monstrous vessel in front of him.

"Sokka, get out of the way!" Katara cried out.

"Sokka, you idiot, get off the way!" I echoed her words in desperation, as I approached him. The ship's bow broke into our village and Sokka fell backwards, as the snow pushed by the hull of the ship threw him away.

The ship finally came to a stop, and we all froze in anticipation, staring at the flares of steam coming out of the vents.

With an unnatural creaking noise, the pointy bow separated from the ship, resembling something like a gangplank, which was about to fall on Sokka.

"Sokka!" I shouted again, and he ran away as the tip of the gangplank fell on the spot he was sitting on just a second before.

As the mist cleared up, a bunch of Fire Nation soldiers marched out, forming lines; and on the lead came a proud teenager, wearing a helmet and a large scar over his left eye.

Sokka jumped to his feet and charged towards the leader with a war cry, but the young man kicked him away with almost no effort and Sokka ended up with his head buried in the snow. The whole village drew back in fright at the fall of our only soldier.

At that, I regained my senses and ran at Katara's side, trying to present a front to the Fire Nation troops, as we stood between them and the Tribe.

The young man in the front stepped in front of Katara and me, and took a second to look down upon all of us and impose his presence.

"Where are you hiding him?"

No one answered. I glanced at Katara, confused. Did he mean…?

Then he grabbed Gran Gran, who was right behind Katara, from her wrist and pulled her roughly to the front.

"He'd be about this age? Master of all elements?"

Again no one answered. After a minute he pushed Gran Gran over Katara and me, very roughly for an old lady.

"Hey!" I couldn't help crying out, outraged, glaring at the proud scarred man.

But he spun around and kicked a ball of fire over our heads. The whole village panicked, and stepped back with a collective scream.

"I know you're hiding him!"

"Hey!" I yelled again, enraged. He might be a Fire Nation captain or something but that did not give him the right to treat us like ignorant scum. "We don't know what you're talking about!" I yelled back at him, my fists clenched.

"Kira!" Gran Gran's surprised and scared call made me glance at her over my shoulder, but the young man gripped my wrist, looking at me fiercely with eyes the color of liquid gold. I read the threat in his eyes and swallowed hard, but did not step back.

At that instant Sokka charged again at him from behind.

The young man turned around with an annoyed look, letting me go as he dodged Sokka's attack and lashed back with a ball of fire. Sokka quickly rolled out of the way, for my immediate relief, and he threw his boomerang at his young opponent, who dodged it again, but by a tiny margin.

Hon Lee, one of the five-year-old war students, threw Sokka a spear, as he yelled "Show no fear!" at a flailing Sokka, and the crowd burst in cheers.

Sokka, encouraged, charged again, but the scarred leader broke the spear effortlessly and boinked it on Sokka's forehead several times, and the Water Tribe warrior fell back, defeated. I felt bad for my brother's pride, but I was far more concerned for the people of the village. The young man stood in front of Sokka, with a threatening look, and just as he raised his hand to strike, making me gasp in horror, the boomerang hit him on the back of his head, making his helmet fall.

Katara involuntarily let go a small giggle, and then the eyes of the firebender sparked with fury as his hands lit up in fire. Sokka was his closest target.

"Sokka!" I screamed in dismay, but at that precise moment, Aang appeared out of nowhere, sliding on a penguin.

He flew right under the young commander's legs, knocking him down, and then skidded to a halt in front of the children, who cheered him with all their lungs. The proud firebender landed with his butt up, and his helmet fell on his butt. The image was very funny, but I didn't feel like laughing.

"Hey Katara. Hey Kira. Hey Sokka," Aang said cheerfully.

"Hi… Aang. Thanks for coming," Sokka replied dryly.

The leader of the troops jumped to his feet, fuming after the humiliation of being ridiculed like that, and he took a stance to face Aang, as the soldiers began to surround the airbender. But Aang blew them away with blasts of air, and in a second the only one still facing him was the young man of the scar.

"Looking for me?" Aang said with a grin.

"You're the airbender? You're the Avatar?" the young man asked incredulously.

We all gasped in surprise. Aang was_ the Avatar?_

We could do nothing but watch as the two young men circled one another.

The firebender seemed to be having a hard time at believing his eyes. "I've spent years preparing for this encounter. Training. Meditating. You're just a child!"

"Well, you're just a teenager," Aang counterstriked.

Then the young firebender started firing up blast after blast, and Aang tried to stop him, but it was clearly too much for him. He managed to dissipate the fireballs from himself, but one of them did reach the Tribe standing right behind him. Aang looked back, his innocent gray eyes filled with worry and guilt, and that did it for me.

I jumped forward at his side, determined to help in some way. But before I could even think of drawing my reliable daggers, something strange happened.

All of a sudden, I knew exactly what to do, and my body started contorting in a graceful dance, as a sphere of water grew between my hands. Then I automatically whipped it at the young commander's face, wetting him to the bone and splashing him away.

A huge silence fell right after that. The firebender was staring at me in surprise, having fallen flat on his butt and soaking wet; but his shock wasn't as big as mine.

"You're a waterbender! Waterbenders from the Southern Tribe weren't supposed to exist anymore!"

"I…" I didn't know what to say. I'd never done that before. All I had ever mastered was to create waves. I hadn't even been able to create a sphere of water, like Katara had done a couple times. In fact, saying that I was a waterbender was an overstatement, because I had never waterbended anything.

And now, suddenly, I knew exactly all the moves. Like it had always been on my brain, but I hadn't been able to find it before.

"Great!" the Firebender said, standing up. "Two for the price of one: the last waterbender of the Southern Tribe and the Avatar. My father will hear about this. Get them!"

I stepped back, horrified, my jaw dropping and my heartbeat raising to the skies. But the soldiers surrounded me in an instant, and I felt like a trapped animal.

"Kira!" Sokka yelled, but when he ran towards me the firebender knocked him to the ground again.

"Wait!" Aang shouted, and with a blast of wind he pushed the soldiers away from me. "If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?"

"I will take the waterbender too. But if you surrender I won't have to destroy the entire town," the firebender replied.

Aang turned to look at me, doubt edged on his face. He would give himself up, but the firebender wanted me too, or else he would destroy our home, so it was up to me. His gray eyes were calculating our possibilities, but I knew we would never make it.

Everyone was staring at me, and I felt panic rising from my stomach. Leaving my family, my home, forever, just to be imprisoned like a rat? But then I glanced backwards at Gran Gran, still lying on Katara's arms, and from her to the whole village behind her, Wei Sun's tears rolling down her face, her eyes wide with fear, and then I knew with absolute certainty what to do.

I stepped forward, past Aang, and stared straight at the golden eyes of the young leader. "I will go with you, if you give me your word you will not hurt my people."

He nodded stiffly, and the soldiers handcuffed my hands.

Katara ran forward with a scream. "No, Aang, Kira! Don't do this!"

"Don't worry, Katara, it'll be okay," Aang answered. "Take care of Appa for me until I get back."

"No!" Sokka bellowed, as he came out of the snowball he had become and saw me a prisoner of the Fire Nation. I looked over my shoulder as they dragged me over the gangplank and I saw his face, his eyes wet and hurting. He was wearing the same expression he had when Hakoda had left. Katara was holding him from behind, but her face showed the same pain, looking at me first, and then locking eyes with Aang.

Their hurt faces were the last thing we saw as the gangplank slammed closed, sealing our fate.

"Goodbye," I whispered softly, feeling a cold tear running down my face.

"Head a course to the Fire Nation. I'm going home," the cold voice of the firebender ordered.

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_A/N: Well, there you go, first chapter!_

_EDIT as of November 26th: This story is currently on hiatus, and undergoing corrections right now. I still have some exams to take, but hopefully when my summer break begins next week I should have more time to write. I'm not gonna lie, I'm more involved with my FMA story right now, but since I am correcting this one, it's likely that when I finish that I'll continue writing. I have not abandoned Kira, I love her too much for that, and there's still plenty of storyline to work with, but I'm going to take it slow for a while._

_I want to thank profusely to everyone that's been reviewing and favoriting this story, from the bottom of my heart. When I started writing it I never thought it would get so much fan love, and the fact that even though I haven't updated in almost six months, people are still reading it and encouraging me to go on fills me with joy and pride. I have read all your reviews and ideas, and rest assured this story will not be abandoned. Just roll with me for a little while, and hopefully you'll be hearing from Kira soon!_


	2. Locked Away

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything of A:TLA, only my OC._

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**Chapter 2:**** Locked Away**

Later, we were already on open ocean when we were taken to deck.

The young scarred firebender stood in front of us, taking a few seconds to study our faces before turning to examine Aang's staff, and my daggers. "This staff will make an excellent gift for my father. I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers, being raised by monks."

Aang looked down, and I felt a twinge of pain in my chest for a second. I did not have a father either. Chief Hakoda had filled that role during the years that we had lived together, and I cared deeply about him, but knowing that he was not my real father sometimes made all the difference in the world. I was deeply thankful for everything Hakoda and his family had done for me, but the truth was that I was an orphan, and, to my mind, nothing would ever change that.

"Take the Avatar and the waterbender to the prison hold. And take this to my quarters," the firebender said sharply, snapping me out of my thoughts, as he threw the staff and the daggers into the hands of an old man standing behind him.

"Hey!" I yelled at him, struggling with the guards that tried to take us down, my rage boiling inside of me. "We have names! He is Aang and I am Kira!"

The firebender just ignored me. As the guards dragged me below deck, I kept struggling in their strong grip to turn around and face the young man.

"I demand to know the name of the man who took my freedom away!"

Everyone froze, apparently shocked. The addressee stopped as well, and turned around, burning me with his eyes of gold. The guards made me turn around and face him, with little effort since that was what I was fighting for, as the firebender strolled towards me with an expression of pride and rage edged on his scarred face.

"I am Prince Zuko, the eldest son of Fire Lord Ozai, and as my prisoner you owe me respect," he growled in my face, and I saw anger quickly flaring up inside those golden eyes.

"I will respect you when you've proven you deserve it," I replied, staring at him defiantly.

A stunned silence fell over the ship, and Prince Zuko narrowed his eyes for a moment, as he clenched his fists, apparently torn between rage and incredulity. But then he clearly decided he'd be more patronizing with me by ignoring me, so he just turned around and the guards forced me down the stairs.

Aang was being escorted in front of me. Curiously, he seemed amused, unlike me.

"So… I guess you never fought an airbender before. I bet I can take you both with my hands tied behind my back," he told a guard sheepishly, but the reply he got was a harsh "Silence!"

Then he drew a deep breath and literally blew away the guards holding him, with ease. After a split second of surprise, I plunged my elbow in the ribs of the guard at my right, and pushed him back, immediately doing the same with the one at my left. Aang blew them both away and we ran for deck.

As we hit main deck, Aang ran to the hatch through which Prince Zuko had disappeared before, obviously looking for his staff. I decided to wait for him there, and deal with any possible guards that might try to block his escape, hoping he'd remember to get my daggers as well.

Then, through the open hatch, I saw one of the guards we had knocked out come running up the stairs to deck, shouting "The Avatar has escaped!" but I pushed him down to silence him. He fell down the stairs, and when I turned around, I saw more guards running towards me from the back of the ship. I backed down, defenseless, since my hands were still tied.

The first guard stopped a moment to blast a ball of fire towards me, but I quickly dove, just like I used to dodge Sokka's snowballs.

Then I had an idea. In the seconds I had left before they reached me, I ran forward and used the impulse to jump. The surprised guard failed to catch me as I placed one hand over his shoulder to propel myself over him. I landed right behind him, and turning around quickly, I put the chains holding my hands around his neck. Then I made him turn around and I used him as shield against the other firebenders. Since the man was pretty tall, I had to use all my strength to make him arch his back down so I could see over his shoulder. But that was also an advantage for me, because this way the man was almost defenseless. Using him as human shield, I retreated to a corner.

"Stop! Do you want to hurt your mate?" I threatened the remaining guards. The poor man I was holding raised his hands, signaling his companions not to attack, and the guards exchanged confused glances.

Then, with a glance to the bridge, I saw Aang throwing his glider in the air and jumping to get it.

"Aang!" I cried out in joy. But my heart skipped a beat when I saw Prince Zuko throwing himself after him. "Aang, watch out!"

In the air, Prince Zuko grabbed Aang's ankle. The airbender could not support the sudden extra weight and they both fell crashing down to deck.

The moment of distraction was my doom. The man I was holding suddenly dropped his weight on me, and I fell backwards. Then he quickly got rid of the chain around his neck and before I could jump to my feet, he pulled from my chains, lifting me up in the air.

"Gotcha!" he hissed, with an evil grin.

"Appa!"

At hearing Aang's voice we all looked up. The huge bison was flying nearby and gaining on the ship.

"What is that?" Prince Zuko yelled.

I smiled briefly, remembering how Sokka had made fun of poor Aang, doubting the bison could fly. Then I came back to my senses and I kicked at the guard's knees, making him fall. Then I sprinted towards Aang as I dodged more fireballs. But he was in a bad position; suddenly I saw him fall overboard.

I could hear Katara's hysterical screams even from here. "Aang! No!"

Prince Zuko gave me an evil grin as he moved closer to me, raising his hands in preparation for firebending. I wanted to waterbend, but I couldn't remember the moves I'd made a few hours ago, and I felt defenseless before my enemy. I retreated, looking left and right, as I racked my brains for a way out of this.

But then, a monstrous column of water rose out of the ocean, and Aang was on top of it, his eyes white, and his tattoos shining with an interior bluish light.

Everyone on deck turned to look at Aang, awestruck, including me. The innocent-looking bald kid was wearing an expression of such rage that it scared me, but before we had time to even blink, the mighty column of water fell over all of us, sweeping everyone away.

I managed to hold on to the railing for dear life, as Appa descended on a clear deck. I climbed up, and I saw Katara holding a weakened Aang in her arms.

"Hey Katara. Hey Sokka. Thanks for coming," I heard him say weakly, as he gave Katara a sad smile.

"Well, I couldn't let you have all the glory," Sokka replied, approaching the pair, as I ran towards them, too.

"I dropped my staff," Aang said, his voice a mere whisper, and I felt my heart skip a beat when I finally reached his side and saw just how _drained_ he was. I looked around for his staff, but spotted my daggers instead, behind a crate, and I ran to get them.

As I picked them up, I heard Sokka say "Got it!" and I turned around to see him picking up the staff. To his surprise, though, Prince Zuko was holding it from the other side, hanging over the railing. I saw Sokka bonk the staff on Zuko's head just as the latter had done to him a few hours before, and the Prince fell down.

"Ha! That's from the Water Tribe!" Sokka snapped over the railing.

I smiled at his words, and ran towards him, but I stopped dead when I saw the seemingly knocked out soldiers behind him rising, preparing for combat. One of them grinned cruelly at Sokka, who did not seem to realize the men were about to jump over him.

I yelled a warning. "Sokka!"

But suddenly a trail of ice appeared over the deck, and froze Sokka's feet on his spot. I looked over my shoulder and saw Katara give Sokka an apologetic look, her hands in the air, in what looked like an imitation of the moves I'd done at the Tribe before.

"Katara!" Sokka yelled in frustration, as I ran past him to defend him from the Fire Nation men. But they were suddenly frozen in a block of ice before my stunned eyes. I turned around to see that it was again Katara who was responsible. My eyes also caught a bunch of men coming out of a latch on the deck, at the other end of the ship, and I ran towards Katara again.

"Hurry up, Sokka!" Katara yelled, as she motioned me to come, before climbing back on Appa to take care of Aang.

I rushed towards her, but then I stopped, biting my lower lip in indecision. I could climb on Appa and hope it all went well, but a quick glance over my shoulder confirmed Sokka was still trapped on the ice, chipping at it with his boomerang to free himself. The guards kept coming closer, hurrying up as they noticed we were about to take off. I realized that if we did, Sokka wouldn't make it out of there in time. We needed something, a distraction…

I ran towards the guards and tried to do the whipping sequence again, but it was almost impossible with my hands tied, so I threw my daggers at them, and they stopped for a moment, diving sideways to avoid the deadly knives. But the man on front smiled cruelly when he realized I only had two daggers and I had already thrown them. _Well, so much for a distraction_, I thought as I spun around and ran away.

"Kira!" Sokka was now standing on the middle of the deck, half way between me and Appa, motioning me to go. I grinned at seeing he had freed himself, and hurried to his side.

But then a group of firebenders behind Appa began doing a set of stances, and I watched helplessly as fireballs were shot towards Katara and Aang. The bison moved quickly for a beast of his size, and no one was harmed, but I realized that if Aang was too weak to bend, Katara and I wouldn't be enough to protect us from the flying fireballs. Basically, we didn't stand a chance.

I skidded to a stop. "Sokka, go! I'll distract them!"

His blue eyes widened in concern and denial. "No! I won't leave you!"

He started to run towards me, but I raised my hands. "Sokka, we'll never make it! Aang is weakened! And he is more important than me! You need to get him out of here!"

Sokka stopped on his tracks, looking at something behind me. Judging from the steps I could hear, the guards were almost on me.

"Get out of here! You can come for me later!"

Clenching his jaw in frustration, he glanced at Appa and I could see him reach the same conclusion than I had. Unless someone did something, we wouldn't make it far away before they either scorched us or made Appa fall crashing down. But he didn't want to leave me.

"Sokka, c'mon!" I shouted, before turning around to face the guards, my stomach a tight knot. I tried not to think what staying behind meant, while I racked my brains to find a way of keeping the guards busy without hurting myself too much in the process. The first guard smirked, about ten feet away from me.

I smirked as well when an idea came to my mind. As the guard reached out his arms to get me, I dove under his right arm, and his momentum prevented him from catching me. As I dove, I managed to pick a thin stream of water and place it at my handcuffs. Then I clenched my fists to turn it into ice, and before the guard could turn around and catch me, I hit my handcuffs against his helmet. It had a double effect: the handcuffs broke and the man fell down, knocked out.

A pair of arms wrapped themselves around my waist and lifted me in the air, but I threw all my weight backwards and I could feel the man lose balance and fall down on his back. While I fell, I flicked my hands to pick up some more water, and as I fell over the man's chest, I threw the water behind us. When I jumped to my feet, I smiled at seeing my move had been successful. The guards had been swept away, and I ran to retrieve my daggers, which were stuck on a crate a few yards away from me. Then there was a loud thump and the deck vibrated for an instant. As I picked my daggers and turned around, I heard the bison's happy rumble as he soared high into the sky.

I smiled, glad that I had succeeded in granting their escape. A visual sweep over the deck confirmed that there was no immediate danger for my friends, since the soldiers were only beginning to stand up. An old man appeared on deck, sporting a sleepy look on his face, and he looked around incredulously, almost as if he hadn't heard any of the racket. I recognized him as the man who had been standing behind Prince Zuko when he had introduced himself.

As a soldier spotted me and a bunch of guards ran towards me, I prepared for some more fighting, willing to take the distraction to the end, but a shout from the railing made us all turn around to the voice.

"Shoot them down!"

Prince Zuko was being helped up the deck by the old man, and the soldiers stopped at their tracks, turning back to look at Appa, who was now high enough, I thought.

But as Prince Zuko and the old man initiated a series of movements, I realized I was wrong. They were still going to shoot them down. And I couldn't allow that to happen. So I sprinted towards them, but I was too far away: A massive fireball soared into the sky before my feet impacted against Prince Zuko's back, knocking him down.

I did not look at the Prince but at the sky as I fell, following the fireball with my eyes. But something happened up there and the fireball turned in a sharp angle, crashing against the iceberg beside us instead.

I had barely a moment to sigh in relief before the guards gripped my arms and pulled me to my feet. But we all stumbled when a huge chunk of ice fell from the iceberg, right over the tip of the deck. The ship was trapped. I grinned, because now Prince Zuko wouldn't be able to chase Aang right away. His maneuver had been successful. I sent out a thought to my siblings and the sweet bald kid. _We'll meet again._

And then I was pushed unceremoniously on my knees. I looked up, to see Prince Zuko seething, his golden eyes flaming with rage.

"What did you do? You made me miss the Avatar! You'll pay for it."

I gave him a fierce glare. "You didn't miss him because of me. You missed him yourself," I snapped.

The Prince widened his eyes in outrage at my bold answer, shoulders trembling in rage, fists clenched. The old man who had helped him up placed a calming hand on his shoulder, but the young man shoved him off and turned around, clearly barely able to control himself.

"Take her down," he ordered as he walked away. And the light of day got veiled from my eyes as I was dragged to a cell.

* * *

"Hey! Are you trying to bore me to death? Anybody there? Hello?"

I had been banging on the door for what felt like hours, but there had been no answer. My handcuffs had been removed, but a quick sweep of the room confirmed there was no way I could escape. The iron walls had no windows, and the only furniture was a bed, if you could call that thing bed. The metallic structure seemed weaker than my knees, and the mattress was so thin I could feel the bars stick at my back when I lay down. The ragged sheets had large yellow stains and smelled like rotten meat. Considering that the bed was attached to the floor, and I had no water at all, it became clear to me that it was impossible to get out from there. I was helpless like the fourteen year old girl I was, especially since they had also taken my daggers.

Out of mere boredom and a somewhat mischievous desire to annoy my captors, I had been banging on the door for hours on end, but, to my chagrin, no one had come to order me to stop.

"I need the bathroom! Hello!"

I finally gave up and sat on the bench that was supposed to be my bed, staring at the ground, and wondering if Aang, Katara and Sokka had reached safety. I could only hope that they wouldn't come back for me, because then Prince Zuko would surely use me as bait to lure Aang into a trap. They'd better stay as far away from this ship as possible.

After what seemed like many minutes, I heard a series of clangs right outside the door, and I straightened up, alert. But the door opened to reveal no other than the old man who had assisted Prince Zuko before. I did a quick assessment of the man. His placid movements seemed to imply that he was not a man for battle, and his calm smile gave me the impression he was not, apparently, a dangerous man.

But I knew better than to trust him, so I turned to stare at the wall, folding my arms against my chest in a stubborn attitude. I wouldn't talk to anyone from the Fire Nation.

He studied me for a minute, and then he sat at my side. I refrained myself from flinching at his closeness.

"My name is Iroh," he said softly. I remained silent, frowning at the iron wall. "I admired your bravery this evening, when you let your friends leave without you, and when you faced Zuko with no fear."

No answer on my side.

"I will not let my nephew hurt you."

_Ooh, so they were family. Great. Just great._

"I was impressed with what I heard about your bending today. You are pretty young for such a talented bender, did you know that?" he continued. I shot him a resentful glare. Was he trying to gain my trust with flattery? It definitely wouldn't work on me. But his eyes seemed sincere, which struck me as an odd thing, considering what little I knew about him. If he was Prince Zuko's uncle, then he had to be related to either the Fire Lord or the Fire Lady. A second glance confirmed that he had indeed a strange attitude for a man ranking so high in the military of the enemy country, when I saw warmth in his golden eyes.

"Were you going to teach Waterbending to the Avatar?" he inquired.

I stared at him in surprise. Where would he get that from? Though it did make some sense. If you thought I was, allegedly, the last waterbender in the Southern Tribe and the Avatar was there, well, you could link ideas. Besides, by now they would know Katara was a bender too and since we lived on the same Tribe, for an outsider it would seem quite logical that we should be Aang's teachers.

But I chose to remain silent, and turned my back to Iroh. His kindness was probably another trick, though I felt stupidly childish by giving him the silence treatment.

"Very well," he said after another minute of silence. "If you wish to talk, send for me and I will make you some tea."

I remained in my stubborn silence, and he left.

* * *

By next morning I had started to fear I'd go insane. I had never spent so much time inside a tin box like that and my need for fresh air was by now as intense as water for a man in the desert.

I had already checked all the edges of the cell, but I couldn't find anything of use. I had tried to disarm the bed and checked every corner of the mattress, but it was useless. There was absolutely no way out of there.

A few hours after Iroh had left, a guard had knocked on the door.

"Sit down on your bed and do not move."

Naturally, I had ignored such order and stood next to the door, trying to surprise the first guard that dared come in.

"Sit. Down. On your bed. Get away from the door or I will not give you your food and you'll starve to death."

_Wait._ How did he know I was standing next to the door?

After a second I got it. Of course! The ridiculous bed creaked every time I sat. If there was no noise they'd know I was lurking around. Unfortunately, once I sat down I would not be able to stand without warning them.

I decided for this time I'd play along. I needed to be in good shape when I escaped, and starving myself for pride was just idiotic.

I sat down as commanded, and then the door opened just a fraction. A hand came in and deposited a tray, which carried one dish with food and one tiny glass of water. The amount of water was clearly not enough to use as a weapon or to get out from there, so I drank it in one shot.

After eating, I examined the tray up and down, but it was flexible, and worse, flammable. That meant that if I tried to use it as a weapon, they'd burn it in less than a second.

_Darn._ These people had thought everything through.

I hadn't slept in the entire night, thinking of ways to escape. But each plan was getting crazier and crazier as the night moved along. Only one notion remained, crystal clear in my conscience: I wouldn't be able to get out of here by my own.

If you used a little bit of logic, you could see I only had two possibilities: Either I waited until Aang and company came to rescue me, which I hoped never happened, or I had to make the Firebenders themselves release me.

So, how could I make them set me free? The obvious answer was to play along. To play the good girl, and convince them I'd be nice as a pet, and then take the first chance out of that bloody cell to escape. Trying to do so when they fed me or when they let me out to the bathroom was useless and stupid, because I was heavily guarded.

I had to make them let their guard down.

Still, by the morning after I was caught, I was strolling up and down the cell like a caged animal. I needed information! Had Aang been captured? Had we left the South Pole? Where were we? When would we reach land? _Something!_

And yet, if I was truly determined to play the "good girl", I'd better keep my mouth shut and not give them any reason to think I was planning my escape. But I needed to talk to someone or I'd go insane. I had been thinking about Iroh the whole day. Should I just call him? But the rebellious side in me refused to fall for such an easy catch.

Fortunately, I didn't have to. At the same time than yesterday, the door clanged again and the old man walked inside.

My first instinct was to turn my back to him again. Even if for my plan's sake I had to be nice to him, I felt that starting it the day after would be too obvious. I had to be very careful now. It was my freedom what was at stake.

This time Iroh brought with him a steaming kettle and two little cups, and a pair of fluffy mats under his arm.

"Hello, Kira," he greeted me kindly. "I brought you some ginseng tea. It's my favorite."

I did not respond.

"I understand that you should wish to remain silent, but I want you to know that things aren't always what they seem."

What could he possibly mean with that cryptic statement?

He neatly placed the mat on the ground, and sat down. Then he poured a cup of tea and offered it to me. I eyed the cup and then Iroh's face, weighing my options. Should I continue the stubborn girl act, or should I give in and pretend to drink the damn thing?

"Oh, come on. You must be thirsty after spending all day locked in here."

I reluctantly took the cup and sniffed it, trying to detect anything out of ordinary. Imagine I got poisoned by an old man. I most certainly did not want to die just yet. I was too young.

"Don't worry, it's just normal tea," Iroh said with a kind smile, noting my distrust. "It would be pointless for us to kill you. We would gain nothing, while if we do take you safely to the Fire Nation Capital, Zuko will be honored. Well, at least that's what he thinks, but who will convince him otherwise?" he finished darkly and almost to himself.

Great. So what he was telling me, basically, was that Prince Zuko wouldn't want to hurt me because he thought he would be honored, but since that actually wasn't true, when he found out I was useless to him, I was toast. How encouraging. I raised an eyebrow, but Iroh noticed my skeptic look and he raised his palms, laughing gently.

"Don't misunderstand me. I won't hurt you."

I sniffed the cup again and decided to trust his words, just this time, because what he had said made sense. It was really pointless for them to kill me now. If I was useless to them, they would have killed me the moment I had stepped on the ship. So the fact that I was still alive, and that I was getting visits from someone like Iroh meant that they thought it would be of some use to keep me here.

I took a sip of tea carefully, staring at the old man's eyes to see if I could detect a trace of triumph. But his gaze was cool, and he seemed to be just pleasantly waiting to see if I liked his tea. And I had to admit, it was actually very good, the best I'd ever had.

"It's good," I said, with sudden fright at how hoarse my voice sounded. One day of not speaking and I sounded like an iceberg cracking. Wonderful.

"I'm glad you like it," Iroh replied warmly. "I suppose you'll want to know if we've caught the Avatar."

I almost choked on the tea, my eyes instantly fixed on his face.

"We haven't. We haven't even freed the ship yet," he said, shaking his head sadly.

I sighed with relief.

"Do you, by any chance, know how to play Pai Sho?" he asked suddenly. I raised an eyebrow again.

"No."

"I could teach you if you want. I haven't had a good opponent for years. I've tried to teach Prince Zuko how to play, but he lacks the necessary patience. You, on the other hand, seem a very smart young girl, and you have nothing else to do here now, do you?" he smiled.

I considered it for a second. The last thing on my mind now was to learn how to play a stupid game, but I needed to gain his trust so he'd let me out. Besides, he seemed to be the only person other than the Prince with the authority to do so.

"I… would like that," I said, forcing a smile.

"Hmm… You remind me of my nephew. Stubborn, quick-tempered and impatient, but with a great heart."

I stared at him, confused. What did he mean by that? Why would he compare me to Prince Zuko? If the old man was going to talk in riddles all day long, dealing with him would be harder than I had expected.

"Well, it's been nice talking to you," he said, standing up.

"I have barely uttered a word!"

"But sometimes silence can tell more than words," he answered, before bowing to me and leaving.

I stood sitting at the spot, dumbfounded. I went over the whole conversation again. This man was definitely weird.

* * *

As the days went by, Iroh came to visit me every day, always at the same time of day, which I came to calculate was about sunset, and he always brought with him the kettle steaming with tea, two cups and the board of Pai Sho.

At the beginning he did all the talking, while I remained silent and suspicious of every word. But eventually I began to realize this man actually didn't mean no harm to me. He patiently taught me the basics of the game, while telling me funny stories about the Fire Nation. At first, I did not want to hear, but he beat my mistrust with kindness and laughter. Besides, he brought me the fresh information on board.

After two weeks, I noticed a change in me. I had begun to laugh with his stories, I was getting better at Pai Sho, and I waited anxiously for his visit every day. Worse, I had begun to trust him enough to tell him some stories from my own Tribe.

One day I stopped in the middle of a story about how Sokka had gotten slapped in the face by a fish trying to escape, as a dark thought came to my mind. What would Sokka think about me if he could hear me now?

_Traitor._

Iroh looked at me, concerned. "What is it?" he inquired.

"I… I think I'm done for today," I said, as I stared at the wall. I always imagined staring at the sea through a window at that wall.

"Very well," he accepted. "You have become good enough now to beat Zuko. We should organize a tournament onboard. If I don't participate, I'm pretty sure you'd win," he smiled.

But my mood had turned dark, and I did not respond.

"We're reaching shore, by the way."

"Shore?" I repeated, turning to look at him. This was my chance! I had to get him to take me out.

"That's why I will not come to visit you tomorrow. We're docking at Dawn Island, where Commander Zhao's currently stationed. He is not a kind man. Zuko doesn't want to raise suspicion, so I'm going to stay with him instead."

"Iroh, could I go with you? I need to breathe fresh air!" I pleaded.

"No, Kira." He shook his head. "Zuko would never allow it. He can't let two prisoners escape in less than a month. Besides, he will probably try to keep you hidden from Zhao. The Commander is not known precisely for his mercy, and he might try to kidnap you to take you to Ozai himself if he feels it will give him credit with the Fire Lord."

These words scared me even more. If there was something I dreaded more than letting my chance go, it was getting caught again and by a man not as kind as Iroh. Still, I had to try. Who knew when I would get another chance?

"But Iroh, I've been locked here for two weeks! I've behaved myself. I just want to breathe fresh air, please!"

"Then I'll take you out now."

"Now?" I asked, my hopes falling like a punctured balloon.

"Now or never," he said. "Well, or after a few days, when we've left Dawn Island," he added with a grin.

After a second of consideration, I nodded. "Alright."

He smiled at me, and then he knocked on the door.

"Guards! Prepare the handcuffs!" he ordered.

"Handcuffs?"

Iroh merely shrugged, and I understood it was beyond his authority to let me out completely free. It was logical, of course. I was a bender, and therefore dangerous. But that didn't make me feel better.

The guard, whose name I had learned was Shui Feng, opened the door and put the cold handcuffs around my wrists, much more gently than the first time I had been locked in that cell. The guards had by now gotten used to me and they did not treat me roughly anymore, especially because I was behaving myself now.

Then I followed Iroh to deck. The moment I stepped outside I felt myself revive like a fish when returned to the water. The fresh breeze of the ocean hit my face and messed up my hair, and I took a deep breath, closing my eyes in delight at the salty smell of the ocean. The warmth of the last beams of sunlight before the sun sank behind the horizon caressed my face, and I felt my energy restoring as the sun's died out. After a few seconds of just enjoying the elements around me, I turned to Iroh and gave him a grateful look. He merely smiled at me.

I saw Prince Zuko some yards away from me, looking at the horizon with the spyglass. I approached the railing, as I gazed at the line where the sky parted with the ocean. I spotted a brown line up ahead.

"That's where we're headed, I assume."

"Dawn Island," Prince Zuko's leathery voice confirmed it behind me. I turned back and he turned to Iroh. "Uncle, what–?"

"Kira is a human being, not an animal that you can keep in a cell," he replied sternly. Prince Zuko said nothing, but he glared at me.

"Thanks, Iroh," I said.

He winked at me and smiled. Zuko seemed uneasy.

"Tomorrow we must be especially careful," he told Iroh, ignoring my presence. "You know how wicked Zhao is."

I turned back to continue gazing at the ocean.

"You should get some sleep, Uncle." Prince Zuko's voice said behind me. "I'll escort her back to her cell later."

"Very well," Iroh agreed. I turned back to them, suddenly afraid. Why would Iroh leave me with Prince Zuko? I gave him a pleading look, but did not dare to say anything.

Iroh winked at me again and then turned around, disappearing through the latch one second later. Zuko raised an eyebrow, seeing my fear.

"I won't hurt you if you behave," he said. I glared at him. He had already taken my freedom, my family and my home. What else did he need to do to prove his superiority?

_Remember the plan, Kira_, I told myself. _You have to befriend them to get your freedom back._ But it was difficult, seeing this smug teenager in front of me. He wasn't much older than me, actually. And he was nothing more than a bully.

I decided the best thing to do would be to ignore him, so I turned my back to him and tried to pretend he wasn't there.

But he seemed to be as stubborn as I was, because he stepped forward, standing right beside me.

"Back in the village," he began, "why did you defend the Avatar? Didn't you know I'd have to take you too? It wasn't very bright of you, because there was no one left to protect your people."

I glared at him, dropping my jaw in outrage. I couldn't believe he could take his bullying to such levels as to insult me like that. My rage bubbled up again within me and I couldn't hold myself, in spite of my plans.

"Because the Avatar is our only hope to get rid of _you_, you bullying, tyrant and arrogant people, who think it's their divine right to oppress the free people of the world!" I spat back at him. "It's not enough, is it?" I continued through gritted teeth. "It's not enough for you to imprison me, you also have to insult me to prove you're better than me? It's so pathetic it makes me sick!"

The next thing I knew were five fingers colliding with my face, as the Prince slapped me. I glared back, determined to show no pain at all, although my cheek was stinging.

"How dare you talk to me like that?" he yelled, his anger rising up again at the bottom of those golden eyes.

We stood there facing one another, our eyes sparking with rage as we stared at each other, trying to burn each other with our eyes. The silence on deck could be cut with a knife.

"Could anybody take me to my cell?" I asked, cocking my head up arrogantly, as I turned back to the soldiers on deck. I wouldn't give Prince Zuko the pleasure of seeing he'd affected me in any way. Not that he had, though. "There's something up here that makes me sick to my stomach," I added, as I eyed Prince Zuko meaningfully.

I walked to the hatch by myself, because no one dared ignore Zuko's orders. But suddenly, his warm hand fell on my handcuffed wrists.

"I said I'd escort you to your cell, and I will," he snapped, also through gritted teeth, but his eyes looked now a tiny twinge softer than when he had slapped me.

I snatched my hands from his.

"Don't touch me! I can walk by myself."

And so he lifted the hatch and we walked to my cell. I said nothing, and neither did he. My anger was still boiling inside of me, but not so ardently as before, so now I wanted to kick myself for ruining the one chance I would probably have in a long time to breathe fresh air, and for getting on Zuko's bad side. I had a plan, but I had ruined everything when I provoked him. I was enraged at him for slapping me, but a small part of my brain kept hissing at me that I deserved it. I had shouted to a Prince after all.

Shui Feng stepped aside and bowed to Prince Zuko when we arrived, but with a single glance at my face he realized things hadn't gone well, so he refrained from saying anything. He opened the door and I walked in, and once inside, I turned back to look at the Prince standing in the hallway as Shui Feng removed my handcuffs.

His golden eyes were still speaking defiance to me, but not superiority, which puzzled me. He looked more angry than smug, and a quick thought crossed my mind. Maybe he hadn't really meant to insult me before I opened my big mouth.

But then the door slammed closed and I cursed myself for being such an idiot. Of course he had meant everything! He was the Prince of the Fire Nation! He'd grown thinking his nation was glorious and probably believing he was flawless. And if he did regret slapping me, he would have apologized! Oh, no, Prince Zuko wouldn't apologize for slapping a loud-mouth peasant. I clenched my teeth with rage. Stupid Fire Nation asshole. But I comforted myself remembering the scar on his face. His oh-so-impervious pride would have suffered a blow with that.

I sighed as I sat on my bed. I'd have to control myself from now on whenever I met Prince Zuko, or otherwise my plan would never work. I'd have to convince him that I wouldn't try to escape, to surprise him when I actually did.

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for reading! R&R!_


	3. Agni Kai

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything of A:TLA, only my OC._

* * *

**Chapter 3: Agni Kai**

The next day I was pacing my cell up and down, knowing we'd dock at Dawn Island in a few hours. The fact that I wouldn't get a visit from Iroh was unnerving. But by early afternoon I had managed to control my nerves, and I decided to try to sleep past it. I lay down in bed and my eyes closed as I thought of Sokka, Katara and Aang. My mind drifted away…

Suddenly the door clanged noisily and I jumped up, eager for news from Iroh, but it was a different man that walked in. A soldier… from the Fire Nation.

"And what do we have here?"

I stood up quickly, sensing danger. Ever since I had been imprisoned no one but Iroh had walked into my cell.

The man paced towards me. "Why would Zuko have such a cute girl as prisoner?"

I gave him a fierce glare for all answer.

"What did you do? Hmm? Are you a bender, perhaps?"

I tried not to blink, in order to avoid giving myself away.

"I think you're coming with me. Commander Zhao will be pleased."

I could feel the hair at the back of my neck pricking up. "I am not going anywhere," I said, my voice freezing cold.

"You are doing as I say if you want to stay alive," he hissed through gritted teeth, as he reached out his dirty hands towards me. I felt tempted to step back, but I didn't, standing firm.

"I am under Prince Zuko's custody and I will not answer to anyone else," I added. But he simply ignored me and dragged me forward from my forearm. I used my other arm to give him a strong push on his chest, as I planted my feet on the ground for leverage. He stumbled back, and his upper lip curved as he bared his teeth in an angry gesture.

I saw him raise his hand and quickly dodged the slap, sliding under his arm, as I tried to escape through the open door, but he gripped my hair and pulled back roughly. I whimpered as I took my hands to the back of my head, but then he pushed me forward, throwing me out of the cell and into Shui Feng's arms.

"Take her to Commander Zhao's tent," he ordered, as he glared at me before disappearing down the hallway.

I looked at Shui Feng with an imploring look. He certainly wasn't going to obey that order and put me in Zhao's hands, was he? But I read the apology in his eyes as he handcuffed my hands.

"Sorry, Kira, but I don't have a choice."

I stopped myself before pleading to him. He was right. Zhao evidently was a man more powerful than Prince Zuko, and who knew in what sort of trouble Shui Feng could get if he disobeyed a direct order from his men. The handcuffs felt cold around my wrists as my guards led me out of the ship and down a gangplank, but as soon as I saw the water I realized this could be my chance.

A quick visual sweep of the place confirmed this idea. We were walking down a dock, set in a large bay, and several Fire Nation ships were stationed there, red flags shining everywhere. I had a fair chance of escaping, but the problem was, where would I go from there? The dock was clear of crates, apparently closed after working hours, and we crossed several soldiers in our path. No, definitely I wouldn't make it far if I ran away now. But I did see a clear shot when we left the dock, taking a path that led to a small village ahead. The town was surrounded by thick forest, where I'd have plenty of places to hide. I decided to wait until we got there, but as the soldiers strayed slightly from the path I realized our destination was not the village but a huge tent sitting between the village and the dock. The path now ran through a large clearing, which meant that in order to truly escape, I would have to reach the forest, or I was doomed.

I took a deep breath of fresh air and dropped my weight down. The surprise prevented Shui Feng and his partner from holding my sudden weight, and they both leaned down. But instead of falling flat to the ground, I took a crouching position, and from there I kicked at the guards' legs. Again taken by surprise, they fell to the ground, and I jumped to my feet and sprinted towards the forest, also trying to put as much distance between the main tent and me as I could.

Footsteps followed me immediately, and the air filled with the shouts of angry soldiers. This was my chance. If I failed, it was highly likely I got killed or imprisoned forever. So I sped up all that my legs could run, but after weeks of being stuck in a tiny cell, my muscles were far from the optimum strength. I felt desperation growing in my chest when the footsteps got closer and closer, and I sent a prayer to the spirits of the water as I infused my legs of the last strength I had left. My legs were screaming at me, and my lungs seemed about to explode, but I did not stop, and I almost yelled in joy when I saw the first trees a few yards away from me.

But that joy wasn't meant to last. Suddenly a huge weight landed on my back, and I fell face flat to the ground, the soldier on top of me.

"Don't. Do. That," he whispered in my ear, his breath hot and burning the back of my neck before he stood up. When they pulled me up from my hair I screamed, kicked, punched and struggled all I could, even trying to waterbend with my hands tied, but of course, it was useless.

I ceased to struggle after a harsh slap to my face that knocked me down on my knees, ten times more violent and brutish than the slap Prince Zuko had given me the day before. As I tasted blood inside my mouth, a strong hand gripped my chin and made me look up. The same soldier that had appeared at my cell was grinning evilly at me.

"Try that again, and I'll make sure Zhao forgets which is your cell and sends you to my bedchambers instead," he whispered, the promise of what he planned to do to me clear in his eyes.

I felt my heartbeat speed up, and although my insides were twisting around in fear, for I did not doubt his threat could very possibly come true, I tried to prevent it from showing in my face. I gave him a fierce glare, and he grinned before depositing a sticky kiss on my cheek.

"You are rather pretty after all. You don't imagine how much fun we can have together. I am almost hoping you will try to escape again."

I pulled my chin out of his grip and looked away, disgusted. Hands pulled me to my feet and led me to the big tent I had been trying to escape from, while I tried to forget the horrible situation that man had hinted at, although my imagination wasn't helping.

My fear only increased, however, when I was tossed to the ground inside the tent, and as I scrambled to my knees, I saw a pair of booted feet appear before my eyes. A hand caught my chin again, and forced me to look up.

It was Zhao, undoubtedly. The aura of power he emanated, and the fear I could sense in the soldiers stammering behind me proved it. His eyes had not the slightest hint of mercy to them, and the sideburns only made his square jaw seem sharper. Zhao studied me carefully, his cold golden eyes running over all of my body, and after he ordered the men to put me to my feet, he walked around me with a calculating look, almost as if I was a good he was considering buying. In spite of my fear, I felt enraged at his attitude. I wasn't a slave! I gave him a glare, and he laughed.

"So you've got spirit, huh? I like that in women."

I looked at him with hatred. "You make me sick."

The slap he gave me threw me to the ground again, almost harder than the one his underling had given me before. But when I looked up again, enraged, my fingers swiftly grazing the abused skin of my cheek, he laughed good-heartedly.

"Oh, you will learn your manners in due time. But what I'm wondering is, why would Zuko capture a Southern Water Tribe girl? He either wanted to have fun with you, or he took you prisoner because you are a waterbender. Funny, since waterbenders from the Southern Water Tribe weren't supposed to exist anymore. But you're young enough. Probably from a new generation. Besides, I don't think Zuko has what it takes to put you to good use as a slave."

Of course, my temper was stronger than my fear. "I am not a slave! Prince Zuko did not take me prisoner! I agreed to come, because he promised he wouldn't hurt my people if I did!"

Zhao's eyebrows curved upwards, as he pinched his chin. The sudden gleam of his eyes made me nervous.

"That's very interesting. Very interesting indeed," he muttered thoughtfully, as he walked to the back of the tent.

Then he flapped away the canvas at the back of the tent, and I saw Prince Zuko and Iroh staring at me. Prince Zuko was seething, but it was Iroh's pallid face what made me understand I had just made a terrible mistake.

"What were you telling me about your ship, Zuko? That you had no prisoners?"

My jaw dropped as I looked at them with horror. They had lied to protect me and I had just told Zhao the worst thing I could have said.

"Apparently, although I refused to believe you, you spoke the truth, if I am to believe this young girl. What does not please me is that you have no prisoners because you're too weak to claim them."

Prince Zuko's fists clenched, as he glared at the older man. He hadn't spared a single glance for me, but the simple fact that he had lied to his superior to hide me from him said something. I felt a brief flash of gratitude towards Prince Zuko, but as my heart rebelled against it I decided to focus on the most urgent matter at hand. Zhao.

"You lied to me, Zuko. And if you lied about the girl, I wonder what else you've lied to me about. How did your ship get damaged again? And what did you say about the Avatar? I have heard rumors of a blue column of light that hit the sky close to the South Pole. Maybe you did find the Avatar but were too weak to capture him… I wouldn't be surprised, Zuko."

The Prince's upper lip curved and his shoulders began to tremble in outrage. But before he could snap something back, Zhao turned towards me. I swallowed hard.

He gave me a cruel smile and then nodded to the soldiers standing behind me.

"Take her away."

"Wait!" Prince Zuko and I yelled in unison.

"Kira is my prisoner, Zhao, what do you think you're doing?" the Prince snapped, stepping forward, while I nervously twisted my hands inside the handcuffs.

"I thought she said you had negotiated with her, Zuko. That doesn't make her your prisoner but your guest. So I am free to take her into custody."

"No!" I screamed, in despair. "I… He did capture me… I resisted…"

Zhao smiled cruelly at me. "It is too late to correct your statement now, peasant." His smile disappeared, replaced by a look of cold calculation. "You are now my prisoner. Take her away."

"Zhao!" Prince Zuko protested, but I didn't get to hear his next words because the men dragged me out of the tent.

"No! Wait! Zuko! Iroh!" I screamed as they dragged me away, but no one walked out of the tent, and soon enough I was carried to a different ship and tossed inside another cell, the men not even taking the trouble to remove the manacles.

I immediately began to bang on the door, as uselessly as the first time I was captured. But soon enough I gave into tears, sliding against the door, only to find when I turned around that this room didn't even have a bed. All there was inside that cell was a bunch of straw and myself. Realizing my big mouth and my stupid temper had tossed me from the pan to the fire, I cried myself to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, I was awakened by some heavy clanging on the door. I blinked, trying to see something through the red blotch my eyes had become after so much crying. I could vaguely make out a figure clad in a suit of armor wearing red colors before I was hastily pulled to my feet.

"What…?" I began to ask, but I was silenced with a quick slap to my cheek. At this rate, my face would become chopped meat if they kept slapping me each five minutes. Since I was still half-asleep, my subconscious threw out one last stupidly comforting idea: At least the slaps hadn't been all on the same cheek, so I wouldn't look all that bad.

The sun almost blinded me when the soldiers dragged me out the gangplank, and if I had looked at the sun's position in the sky I would have noticed it was mid-morning, but my eyes hurt from all that crying. Looking at the sun would only have made it worse.

Before I could understand what was going on, I saw that we had already crossed the small village near Dawn Island's Docks, and we were heading for a large wall… or so it seemed. When the wooden gates opened and I was dragged in, I had a better sight of the strange building.

The walls were surrounding a large clearing, where lines had been drawn on the floor. At the other end of the yard I could see a large wooden arc, which had a small stone engraved at the top. The stone was glinting red, reflecting the sun, and beneath it, through the open gates, I could see a beautiful sandy beach and the blue ocean licking the shore. The yard was not deserted; there were men stationed at the other gate, and some more men simply standing outside the square drawn on the ground. I noticed they seemed to be expecting something, or someone, since they were stiff as a naked man on the South Pole, and the two soldiers escorting me came to a stop at the side of the square.

I was fully awake now, but as hard as I tried I could not comprehend what the hell did that square in the ground mean, or why had I been brought here on the first place. What was clear to me was that some sort of ceremony was to be held in this place, and I shuddered to wonder what it could be… or if it involved me.

After what seemed like an hour under the burning sun, a gong called somewhere behind me, close to where we were, and two men appeared at both ends of the yard, under the wooden arcs. Curious, I turned to look at the man closer to my position, and I repressed a shiver when I saw Zhao, wearing from his waist up nothing more than a red cape over one shoulder. He was standing right beneath the arc, and only when I noticed the sun's light did not touch him I understood it was midday, since the sun was almost vertical to the ground. I looked at the other end of the yard, but I could not distinguish the features of the man waiting there in the shadows. All I could see was that he was wearing the same clothes than Zhao: dark pants, exposed torso, a red cape over one shoulder.

The gong pounded again and both men gave one step into the light. Zhao, who was closer to me, suddenly gleamed, and I realized his torso was covered in a thin layer of oil. His impressive muscles and strong arms did nothing to improve my impression of him. If anything, he scared me even more, looking powerful, majestic, and evil. When I looked at the other end of the yard, I almost choked in surprise. The man facing Zhao was none other than Prince Zuko. I realized at seeing him that the armor he'd been wearing had hidden an equally powerful and muscular body, for someone his age. When I studied his features, more carefully now that I had the chance –and probably the last chance I would ever have of examining him– I understood he couldn't be much older than me. He couldn't be more than eighteen. Even so, he was facing a man twice his age, with far more experience and power, in this strange ceremony that I didn't like the slightest bit. I couldn't help but to be impressed at his courage.

The gong sounded once more and both men entered the large square, and they turned their backs on each other, before placing one knee on the ground. The soldier that had come to get me at Zuko's ship stepped beside Zhao, and removed the cape. When I looked at Prince Zuko's end of the yard, I gasped. Iroh was the man doing the service for Zuko. I wanted to scream at him, beg him to help me, or maybe simply thank him for the kindness he'd shown me, but I had had enough slaps on the face to know I would definitely get another one if I dared to even breathe too loud during this weird process.

With another call of the gong, Zuko and Zhao stood up and faced each other, adopting stances, and I felt something unpleasant pull at my stomach when my fear became true: they were going to duel. Zhao was smirking arrogantly, and I guessed he was sure he'd win this fight. Zuko, on the other hand, seemed deeply focused, and trying to stay calm.

I didn't have to think twice to know who I wanted to win the duel. I was still very angry at Prince Zuko for the slap he'd given me two days ago, and I hated his arrogance, but the treatment I'd received at Zhao's hands made me incline to favor Zuko instead. Maybe the Prince did deserve a wake-up-call from someone, but not from Zhao. The Commander was cruel and evil, and I wouldn't want anyone, not even my enemy, to remain at Zhao's mercy. Which didn't exist, anyway.

The first flames snapped me out of my thoughts. Zuko had sent a few rather large balls of fire at Zhao, bigger than the ones he'd fired at the Southern Water Tribe, and I suddenly knew he was betting everything onto this fight. Zhao was quick, though, and he dodged every single one of them with little effort. Then it was Zhao's turn to strike, and he tested Zuko's boundaries, by sending flames to his sides and front, forcing him to dance in order to dodge or stop the flames. Unlike Zuko, he didn't seem to be putting too much effort onto the fight, probably sure he'd win it in no time.

Zuko sent more blasts at the older man, also testing Zhao's abilities, but his jaw hardened when he watched the Commander avoid them without losing his arrogant smile. I saw his eyes gleam with hatred, and his next moves were quicker, and not so precise. He seemed to be losing his patience. Sending flame after flame in each time more complicated bending, he began to get closer to Zhao, who waited for him with gleaming eyes.

Then Zhao suddenly crouched down, and shot a flame very close to the ground, destined to make the young Prince fall. But Zuko's reflexes were quick, and he jumped away.

"Basics, Zuko!" I heard Iroh yell anxiously from the other end of the yard. "Break his root!"

But Zuko had lost his momentum, and Zhao took the opportunity to start blasting shot after shot at the agile Prince, advancing over him, forcing Zuko to retreat. A frown of concern appeared in the young man's forehead, and Zhao's grin grew wider. I was absorbed by the fight by now, standing on the tip of my toes, heart beating fast, itching to yell comforting words at Zuko. The thrill of the contest had captured my attention so bad that I had even forgotten my own fate and the question of why I had been brought to witness the duel.

In the arena, Zhao suddenly blasted a powerful fireball with both fists, and Zuko was knocked back, skidding in the dirt.

"Zuko!" I yelled in concern, in spite of myself.

Zhao jumped at the Prince's side, swift as a shark, and raised his arm to blast the final blow. I bit my nails in nervousness, but Zuko rolled out of the way in the nick of time, the flame of Zhao's fist making the few prickles of hair at the back of Zuko's neck hiss and curl. But as Zuko got up, in one graceful move, he swept Zhao's feet from under him, and the Commander fell heavily to the ground.

The Prince stood up, grinning smugly at the elder man. I grinned too, thinking it was over, but no. Zhao jumped to his feet, baring his teeth with rage, and he tried to fire blasts at Zuko. But the young scarred Prince had a few seconds of advantage now, and he used them properly, not giving Zhao time to breath between flame and flame. As Zuko advanced, his movements became more precise, confidence enhancing his features, and it was Zhao's turn to frown in concern, as he began to be forced back. Zuko attacked like a hurricane, and although he didn't land a single blast on Zhao's skin, I could smell burnt hair from my position at the other end of the arena. Suddenly Zhao misplaced his foot, and he wobbled a moment, losing balance. It was a split second, but Zuko was paying close attention and he spotted his chance. With a powerful double-fist fireblast, he knocked Zhao on his back, and out of the square.

The Prince smiled with triumph, and I grinned, bringing my hands together to clap in admiration, but the heavy silence and the frozen expressions of the men stopped me. I looked at the two figures. Zhao had not gotten up, and Zuko was standing beside him. A drum somewhere rolled, and I instinctively understood that this was the most important part of the fight.

Zuko raised his arm, preparing for one final blow, and I swallowed hard. What was he supposed to do? … _kill him?_

Zhao gave him a defiant glare. "Do it!"

He certainly wasn't going to do it, right?

Zuko's fist lit up with fire, and I watched his arm descend, unable to tear my eyes away from the climactic scene. But his fist met the dirt beside Zhao's head, and the Prince shook his head, almost as if he thought Zhao wasn't worth his time.

His sneer must have hurt Zhao more than the burnt hair, because he growled low, baring his teeth again in rage. "That's it? Your father raised a coward."

_A thank you would have been enough_, I thought maliciously.

"Next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back," Zuko growled, a finger pointing at Zhao's chest, before turning around and walking away.

But Zhao jumped to his feet and, eyes burning with hatred and anger, he raised his leg to kick an arc of fire, directed at Zuko's unprotected back.

"Watch out!" I yelled, involuntarily stepping forward, but Iroh intervened. He stopped Zhao's attack with a quick block, and then he gripped Zhao's ankle and hurled him back into the dirt with hardly any effort. Zuko turned around, and seeing Zhao's treacherous attempt, he rushed with a howl to avenge the attack on his back. But Iroh put an arm across his chest, stopping him with a sudden flicker of flame in his golden eyes.

"No, Prince Zuko. Do not taint your victory." His nephew looked at him for an instant and then regained his cool, and Iroh turned calmly to Zhao. His voice was cool and pleasant, but the dangerous icy glint in his eyes revealed for a moment the depths of his anger. I had a fleeting wish that I would never have to face him as an enemy.

"So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat," he said softly, but I knew his words cut deeper into Zhao's skin than all the burns together. "Disgraceful. Even in exile my nephew is more honorable than you. And thanks for the tea. It was delicious."

Without another word he directed his steps towards the wooden gate closer to me, and Zuko followed him after throwing another poisonous glare at Zhao.

It was only then that the soldiers escorting me realized I had stepped forward, and they pulled me back roughly, making me lose balance and fall on my butt on the dirt. One of them pulled me up from my hair, but before I was fully on my feet, the sun was shadowed by a large figure, and a cold voice spoke.

"Release her immediately. She is no longer yours to handle."

Iroh was standing in front of me, directing another of those irate looks at the soldiers, and they hurried to obey him. I looked at him with a smile of gratitude, and scrambled to my feet. When his eyes focused on my face they had lost all edge and seemed kinder than ever.

"Have they hurt you? Are you alright?"

I felt my smile stretch over all of my face, wishing I could just hug him right now. "Nothing that a good cup of tea can't heal."

He smiled back warmly, and turned to the exit, without touching me. I followed him, closely behind Zuko, who hadn't bothered to look at me. Right before passing through the wooden gate, I glanced back over my shoulder, and spotted Zhao standing at the middle of the square, staring at us. The look of sheer evil in his eyes, and the promise of revenge I read in them made me shiver visibly as I crossed the gate. Fortunately, the men walking before me did not notice.

Zuko hurried up to walk at Iroh's right side. I stole a glance of his face, and, maybe it was because they had just saved my life, or because I was simply ecstatic at finally leaving Dawn Island in the right ship, but I felt something warm in my chest when I saw him smile for the first time, a gleam of white bright teeth displaying his joy.

"Did you really mean that, Uncle?"

Iroh gave him a wicked smile.

"Of course. I told you gingseng tea is my favorite."

Zuko's smile grew wider at that, as my own smile did too.

* * *

About an hour later, I was back at my cell, punching at my pillow to soften it. I sighed in relief at lying on the metal bed, even though the bars were still sticking at my back. A bed was a bed after all, and it was better than a mere bunch of straw… I thought. Humans sleep in beds or bunks, animals sleep in straw. The mere action of making a human being sleep over a bunch of straw was a clear indication that, as a prisoner, you were less than a farm animal.

Smelling the ragged sheets made me feel at home again, which was the most awkward thing. This wasn't my home. But compared to Zhao's cells, this was heaven, I reasoned.

A few hours later, the familiar clang on the door made me jump off the bed, and when Iroh's round figure entered, I threw my arms around his neck.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, for whatever you did to get me back here."

Iroh's chest shook with warm laughter. "It wasn't me. Zuko did it."

I left his arms to look him in the eyes and make sure I had heard correctly. "Zuko?!"

Iroh's laughter died, and he smiled. "Zuko."

I felt dumbfounded. "Zuko? But why? Why would he want me here? I'm nothing but a pain in the ass for him… And what did he do, anyway? Did he bargain or something?"

But Iroh said nothing, while he placidly sat on his mat and prepared some jasmine tea, my favorite. For an instant I felt anger at his silence. Wasn't he going to tell me anything? But then he placed the board of Pai Sho between us and I knew he was simply going to spill the beans later.

As I had figured, he waited until we were both completely immersed in the game, my mind calculating many different strategies, when I was distracted by his deep voice.

"What you witnessed this morning was an Agni Kai. It is a traditional duel that is centuries old. An Agni Kai is a duel for one's honor, and it features two men facing each other in a firebending battle, which ends only when one of the contestants successfully manages to burn the other. In this case, though, Zhao was willing to take it further than that. He knew Zuko would not tolerate his verbal abuse and would agree to it."

I was trying to divide my mind in two: half of it was carefully listening to Iroh, and the other was focused on the board before me, but at his words, the chain of possible moves in my head vanished as I looked at him.

"Further?"

Iroh did not answer, but his eyes flared up for a moment before he looked at the board again.

"It was all going well until he had you brought to the tent. Zuko had almost managed to strike a deal of free passing."

At first I didn't understand what he was implying, but then I felt a sudden chill at my stomach, and I shot him a scared glance.

"Wait… do you mean that it was _my_ fault that he had to fight the Agni Kai?"

Iroh stared at me for a few seconds, and although his voice and words were nothing but kind, I saw something else at the bottom of those golden eyes. Something that I couldn't define. Was it disappointment, anger, or guilt? But I was definitely the cause of it.

"He forced those words out of you, so of course it wasn't your fault."

For some reason I couldn't understand, those half-whispered words hurt me more than if he had accused me out loud. I looked down.

"It was my big mouth, wasn't it? What got Zuko in trouble?"

The room was filled with sudden silence. After a few minutes, Iroh made a move on the board.

"Don't torture yourself. Imagining what could have been will only bring you pain. Zuko's performance was outstanding, and this victory will help his confidence. Also, his men are already whispering about it, which doesn't hurt."

I looked into his eyes. "But you _were_ worried about him. You weren't sure he'd make it," I guessed.

The guilty glance I caught in his eyes for an instant told me I had hit the right spot. But his eyes immediately veiled as he moved yet another piece on the board.

"You should focus on the game, or you will lose."

I stood still for a few minutes, as the guilt swerved through me. I had never learnt how to control my temper. Usually at the South Pole, I was the calm one, and Katara the one to snap, but ever since I had stepped on this ship, I had done nothing but make a fool out of myself. It was somewhat strange, since I wasn't used to this odd outbursts of anger, but the way Prince Zuko and everyone from the Fire Nation –except for Iroh– looked at me made my blood boil. I sighed before making my move on the Pai Sho board.

"I am really sorry, Iroh. I should try to learn to control my temper. I shouldn't have shouted at Zhao like I did."

Iroh gave me a warm smile, and this time his eyes smiled as well.

"I am glad you admit to it, and I do remind you not to be a bad loser."

I frowned. "A bad loser?"

He made his final move on the board and I suddenly realized I'd lost. The old man had distracted me, making me feel guilty, just to win the game!

"No fair! You distracted me!"

Iroh made a face of outrage. "Of course. Every player should use whatever advantage they can get their hands on."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Cheat."

The radiant smile that formed on his face made me feel slightly better. He picked up the board, the pieces and the cups, but before he was ready to leave I touched his arm.

"Iroh, tell me something. Why did Zuko fight an Agni Kai to save me?"

He took a deep breath. "Well, you on your own weren't the only reason. By taking you as his prisoner, Zhao was insulting Zuko. Not to mention the kind things he said at the tent, of which you heard only a part. Zuko felt that he could not let that offense pass. Besides, Zuko knows first hand about the punishments inflicted by the Fire Nation, and he would not let you go through something like that."

I stared at him, suddenly dumbfounded. That didn't match at all with the picture I had of Prince Zuko.

"But he hates me. He thinks I'm a peasant, a lower form of life. He doesn't respect me."

Iroh's eyes suddenly gleamed with golden fire.

"I have taught Prince Zuko to respect all forms of life. He may not be perfect, but someday he will be the leader this world needs."

Once again, I failed to contain the words before they spilled out of my mouth.

"If by respecting a form of life you mean insulting and slapping, yeah, you're right, he is respectful."

Iroh's voice had a sudden cold edge I didn't like. "If I remember correctly, you insulted him in front of his men. And you still are his _prisoner_."

As soon as I heard my following words, I flinched, regretting them instantly. "You weren't there."

Iroh's chest seemed to grow, and his eyes set aflame, but then I pressed my lips together and I shut my eyes. "I'm sorry. I… I shouldn't have said that."

Iroh sighed deeply, and when I opened my eyes, he was all kindness again.

"You are right. He shouldn't have slapped you. I will talk to him about that. But you should try to control your tongue every now and then. Maybe then you wouldn't get into trouble so often."

I felt deflated. "Yeah."

Iroh smiled. "Zuko told me what happened. He didn't mean to insult you. But he is just like you, he can't control his temper when he feels offended over something. And he shouldn't forget that you did come here willingly, even if you are his prisoner. I am sorry if he, or I, were harsh to you."

I chuckled. "You couldn't be harsh even if you tried, Iroh."

He picked up the mat and the cups of tea, but before turning to leave, he frowned and sniffed the air.

"What is that smell? Do you need to bath? I'll issue the proper orders."

I sniffed as well, wondering what the hell he was talking about. Suddenly, I understood.

"Oh, that stench of rotten meat? It's the sheets. They've always smelled. But I prefer them to the bunch of straw Zhao gave me as bed," I laughed.

Iroh smiled, but his eyes showed sudden disapproval. Somehow, I sensed that was not directed at me.

"I will have some new sheets brought to you." He stopped, and gave me a long stare. I felt both examined, and a strange little itch at the bottom of my stomach that reminded me of Hakoda and what I felt when he hugged me. Like a mix of discomfort, joy, and gratitude at a sudden display of affection. I looked down, suddenly embarrassed.

"I am glad to be back, Iroh."

I hesitated, my inner rebellious girl telling me not to say what I wanted to say, but I decided my temper had brought me enough trouble so far. "Tell Zuko I said thanks, okay?"

Iroh's mouth stretched in a large grin. "I will." His arm closed around my shoulders, and for a moment I was aware of how weird this was. I was feeling all comfy in a hug from a stranger, a man who was the brother of the Fire Lord, my enemy. But then I melted into the hug. Who knew when would I get some affection again?

After Iroh left through the iron gate, I sat down on my bed, not paying attention to the creaks as I got to thinking. The events of the past few days had left me sore and tired, and I felt I could use some sleep, but the mere idea of what Iroh had suggested seemed incredible to me. The Prince of the Fire Nation had hidden me from a man higher in the ranks. Then I had gone and screwed it all up, and he had fought a fire duel with the Commander, partly for my cause. I wasn't any damsel in need of a knight in shiny armor, but even I could appreciate what he had saved me from. Was Iroh perhaps exaggerating? Or was I wrong from the start about Prince Zuko? Another thing Iroh had said kept rolling inside my head. "Prince Zuko knows first hand about the punishments inflicted by the Fire Nation." Did he refer to the large scar over his face? If he did, that brought Zuko to a whole new level in my opinion of him. Although, if Zuko had been hurt like that, why did he still fight for his country?

Sighing, I slipped under the sheets and hugged my pillow. So much thinking was giving me a headache. I needed a good night of sleep to process all that had happened. But of one thing I was sure: Prince Zuko was certainly more of a mystery than I had thought.


	4. The Smell Of Freedom

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything of A:TLA, only my OC._

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Smell of Freedom**

A few more days passed and my situation in Zuko's ship did not change much, but I sensed a change in myself. The gratitude I felt towards Iroh and Zuko for extracting me from between Zhao's claws had not disappeared, and although I did not trust anyone entirely –except perhaps for Iroh– I felt my animosity against all the members of the ship decrease a little. I began to remember names, and faces, and personal histories that Iroh told me about. I began to understand the system aboard the ship, the hierarchies and who represented what, or who felt a particular way about something, from snippets of conversation I caught between the soldiers when they walked past my cell, or when I crossed them in my way to the bathroom.

I also began to devote more and more time to listening, and trying to gather information from the sounds of the ship. From the few times that Iroh had taken me to walk, I had drawn a sort of diagram in my mind of the ship's structure, and I had gathered important information, such as that the engine room was only a level below the cells', and that it was practically beneath my cell. The anchor was at the other point of the ship, but I had learnt to detect when they were lowering it, from the vibration on the outer wall of the ship. I couldn't see the water, since my cell had no windows, but I had found out I could hear it faintly splashing against the iron wall. I learnt to use that to detect the flotation level of the ship. When we were heavy loaded, I could hear the water slapping the hull at the level of my feet. This always happened whenever we left an island, after getting supplies, I guessed.

I hadn't had much chances of testing my waterbending skills, but every time Iroh let me try it, I found it was easier for me to feel the water and channel the necessary energy through me to manipulate it, move it, and subject it to my will. This made me confident that I'd be able to bend when I escaped, which of course, made my chances grow.

The custody Zuko had imposed on me had not changed, though, and even if Shui Feng was mad at me for the first week after Dawn Island, about a fortnight later he began to be gentler to me. I played my part as well, trying to convince the men I had accepted my situation. I was the prisoner, the waterbender girl who owed Zuko, if not her life, at least her virtue. I began to practice laying low instead of voicing my thoughts openly. Unfortunately, I kept failing. Although I had not changed my mind about escaping, the fact that now I knew more about the crew members and their lives made me feel slightly guilty at knowing that I would be deceiving them, specially Iroh.

I began to grow fonder and fonder of the old General. He did not miss our meetings a single time, and some days he'd take me to walk over the ship, or he would come to visit me at any time of day, and he'd even started to teach me some lessons about geography, history, reading and writing. And when I learnt enough about Pai Sho to become a good match for Iroh, he showed up the next day with a strange wooden thing he called guitar, and he told me it was an instrument for making music. I had won my first game of Pai Sho the day before, and I was looking forward to Iroh's visit to see how he had handled the disappointment, just to see him enter with the guitar on his hand and announce that "it was time to change my hobbies". I laughed and accused him of being a bad loser, but from that day on we alternated the Pai Sho matches with music lessons.

He was an excellent teacher, and after a month I realized I had forgotten that he was the Fire Lord's brother. I found that circumstance especially intriguing. How could a man like Iroh –gentle, patient, wise– belong to the Fire Lord's family? I thought many times about asking him why he supported the Fire Nation, although it was not hard to figure out the reason. I knew by now that Iroh professed a deep love towards his nephew, and it seemed to me that he saw in the young Prince the son he'd lost. Whatever Zuko chose to do, Iroh would support him. I could understand his position, but what I failed to understand was how he reconciled with the idea that there were people suffering because of Zuko's decisions. And I was still confused about Zuko himself.

After Dawn Island I hadn't seen him again, and so I had not been able to prove my theory right about him. Was he nothing but a stuck-up, arrogant, spoiled Prince? Or did his eternal scowl hide a gentler soul? That did not seem likely, but the fact that he had decided to fight an Agni Kai against Zhao to save me kept making me think. After a few days of consideration, I had come to the conclusion that I had probably constituted an excuse more than a reason. It was plain as day that Zuko hated Zhao, and sooner or later their enmity would have ended up in a fight anyway. Besides, in all the time that I had been on Dawn Island, he hadn't looked at me even once, and he had not been to my cell ever since, either.

But the truth was that I didn't know what had actually happened, or how did he convince Zhao to give up on custody of me if he lost the duel, so I couldn't really know, and I didn't think I ever would. Also, some of the things Iroh said hinted that there was more to Prince Zuko than met the eye. I was tempted to think he was exaggerating, but something inside of me –call it intuition if you will– kept telling me that those words were true. From what I gathered of Iroh's chatter, Zuko seemed to be quite secretive about his true thoughts and feelings, and he'd die before letting anyone believe he was weak. I had questioned Iroh about the Prince's scar and his quest for the Avatar, but other than insinuate that they were related, he refused to talk about it. I kept remembering that conversation Zuko and I'd had on deck, the day I had insulted him, and I tried my best to remember his expression when he asked why I had left my Tribe unprotected, but my memory would yield no answers. Prince Zuko represented an enigma even harder to understand than his Uncle's behavior.

But if there was one thing I knew about him, was that he was prone to inexplicably intense anger, or, as Sokka would put it, he was an angry jerk.

One morning, Iroh entered my cell with a deep frown settled between his eyebrows and a dark look in his eyes, and I instantly read that something was wrong. I shot him a quizzical look.

He sighed. "Prince Zuko is upset because we can't find the Avatar."

I felt a sudden thrill of joy. I had been particularly worried about Aang and my siblings. I feared they would attempt rescuing me, or that Prince Zuko would find them. Being locked in my cell, I would be unable to help them. But they seemed to have decided to stay well away from the Fire Nation Prince. For some reason, at the back of my mind I felt a tiny flash of sadness at that. Had they forgotten about me? But then I mentally slapped myself. Of course not! They had probably realized they couldn't rescue me by themselves, and perhaps they were trying to gather more people who could help them. They knew me well enough to know I would find the way to survive my imprisonment. And maybe I could even spy a little for them. Which I had actually done. Fortunately now I had a better knowledge of everything related to the Fire Navy, and I had gathered important data. For example, I knew that if the ship was in danger, they had a whole system of flares, which had different meanings. And that they communicated through hawks that carried messages all over the sea.

So there was nothing to worry about. Zuko couldn't find the Avatar, and that was definitely wonderful news for me. But I looked at Iroh and I realized it would be disrespectful to celebrate. Besides, I saw real concern behind those golden eyes, and I suddenly understood there were things he wasn't telling me.

There was something else behind Zuko's desperation to capture Aang.

But I didn't have the right to know what that was. I was no one in that ship. I should be grateful enough that Iroh treated me like an actual person, and had somehow convinced the rest of the crew to do the same. I was well aware that that must probably be an unusual situation. I had seen soldiers from other ships at Dawn Island after all, and all of them looked at me like I was shit, garbage, less than a cockroach. It was Iroh who had given me a special status in Zuko's ship, and I owed him my comfort. Therefore, I wasn't entitled to demand anything else from him, specially not things that concerned Prince Zuko's decisions. Whether I liked it or not, the reasons for the Prince's chase of the Avatar would remain a secret to me.

Iroh sat on the mat and put his hands together, his over-size sleeves covering his wrinkled fingers, and he raised his eyebrows towards the guitar he had just placed between us.

"Today we will practice scales," he announced, and with just one glance at his eyes I knew that both his previous comment and his concerned look were to be ignored.

I sat down and placed my fingers at the guitar like he had taught me, and the lesson began.

* * *

A few hours later, I was sitting on my bed, my legs crossed, my hands lying on my thighs, my body slightly swaying at the rhythm of the sea waves, in what I called my "meditation position". I was once again mulling over the significance of Iroh's words and attitude. Iroh had never seemed particularly concerned about Zuko's temper, he rarely took him seriously. But today he had appeared to be truly worried, and I couldn't figure out if he was worried about Zuko being angry –afraid that Zuko would do something irresponsible or get on his crew's bad side– or if he was worried about the situation itself, meaning, he also wanted the Avatar captured as soon as possible.

The most probable thing was that he wanted Aang caught. He was the Fire Lord's brother after all. But for some reason I didn't find that answer satisfying. Something didn't add up. Why he was suddenly worried about that now, after a month or so of sailing after the Avatar?

I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes, and at the back of my mind I sensed the water outside faintly respond to my presence. The feel of the water, so close to me, was a natural tranquilizer for a waterbender, I had realized, and the cold helped me think. Then, I suddenly had a glimpse of an idea, but it faded before I could catch it. I opened my eyes, and tried to grasp it. It was important, I knew, but it had slipped through my fingers like water. I thought hard. It was something about the cold… the cold helping me think… cold water… relax… Argh! I couldn't get it! It was frustrating.

And then I was distracted by the sound of feet running down the stairs that led to the prison cells, down the hall. I stood up immediately and tiptoed to the door. If someone was coming in, Shui Feng would tell me to sit on my bed before the person entered, but if it was just a message for him I could hear it through the door.

I heard a man panting outside.

"What is it?" Shui Feng asked anxiously. Not many soldiers came down this path, unless they wanted to go to the boiler room, which only happened during the shift change. It was not the shift change, which could only mean that this was an important message. Thank the spirits, Shui Feng seemed to have forgotten to tell the man to talk somewhere far from my cell where I couldn't hear.

"It's… the Avatar…" the man panted, and I felt my heart stop. _No._

"Prince… Zuko… got a lead… He's on Kyoshi Island…"

"You're kidding me."

"No… I'm not." The soldier took a deep breath. "Lieutenant Jee confirmed it to Ming about an hour ago. He told me. The rumor's run all over deck, and the Prince hasn't denied it yet!"

From Shui Feng's side came only stunned silence, according to what I heard.

"Feng… we're going home!"

I heard a sudden intake of breath. "Are you serious? Really?"

The other soldier couldn't contain his joy. "Yes! Yes! We'll capture him and go home! If Prince Zuko could beat Zhao, he'll certainly be able to bring down the Avatar, I'm sure! We also have General Iroh to help! And Kyoshi Island is far away from Omashu, they'll never send help in time! Kyoshi Island and the Avatar will be ours!"

Shui Feng let out a long sigh, and his voice softened up, almost as if someone had lifted a weight off his shoulders.

"I will get to meet my son… My wife was pregnant when we sailed away… I haven't seen her in three years…"

There was silence between the men. And then the unknown soldier cleared his throat.

"I should get going now. It's almost time for the change of shifts on deck, and I go next."

"Right," Feng answered, and the booted feet ran back to deck.

I bit my nails in sudden anxiousness. I didn't know what this Kyoshi Island was, but if it was not too populated –like Dawn Island– and far from the Earth Kingdom like the soldier had said, Katara, Sokka and Aang might get in serious trouble, not to mention the people of the island. I had to do something, but what? I was trapped in here and I could never leave the cell without my handcuffs. It was obvious that they wouldn't let me out when they invaded the island, and if my siblings or Aang dared to get inside the ship to find me, they'd be captured. Zuko would perhaps include me in his plans. Maybe he would even use me as bait. That would be ideal, because I could waterbend enough now to get rid of him and my guardians and escape. But no, Zuko was not an idiot. Even I could see that it was far more risky to get me out. It was a cost-benefit analysis. Using me as bait would surely lure the Avatar into the trap, but it involved the possibility of me escaping. If I were him, I'd keep me locked in the cell, and only use me as a last resort.

That led me to one conclusion: I had to get out of here by myself. But I had had a month to think, and I had come up with nothing! Damn it! I felt sudden anger rising on my chest, and I kicked the door in frustration.

"Hey!" Shui Feng called. "Easy in there!"

I didn't answer. I was suddenly very angry with myself. How come I hadn't been able to think of something? This would probably be my last chance, I had to think of something! Anything! I had to get myself out and help Aang! I began to pace my cell up and down, and I felt a sudden need to break something.

"Kira! Be quiet!" Shui Feng warned me, his voice harsher this time. But I couldn't control my anger. When I felt myself about to explode, I held my breath and closed my eyes for a moment. And then the soothing sound of the waves filled me, and I felt my anger subside a little.

I climbed on the bed, and sat on meditation position. I needed to analyze my situation carefully. It wasn't like when I had been captured. My captors had relaxed a little about me, I had achieved that much. But it was pointless if I couldn't make it out of that damned cell!

Okay, I seriously needed to relax. I stood up and walked to the external wall, placing my hands on it. It was cold. I took a deep breath, and my anger faded as I felt the push and pull of the waves, outside, one level below. This was what I needed. As my mind went back to the day that I had been captured, trying to remember each and every plan I had devised that night, a small corner of my mind wondered at the fact that the cold helped me relax. Maybe I had never needed to relax before because I lived between ice and ocean, I had everything I needed.

And then I saw light. That was it! _Ice!_ That was the idea that had eluded me earlier! I needed ice!

A plan began to form in my mind. I climbed back to the bed and meditated, analyzing pros and cons, and, just as if I was playing another game of Pai Sho, tried to think of what moves the enemy could use and how to avoid them before hand. By sunset, the plan was complete. I just needed two or three days. It could be done in less time, but it would be quite more dangerous.

I knocked on the door.

"Shui Feng, I need to go to the bathroom."

The man outside sighed, and I heard the familiar noise of the manacles as he prepared them.

"Sit on your bed."

I did as he asked, and after the creak, he entered the cell, closing the door behind him. I noticed his moves had become mechanical, and he wasn't as careful as the first days. After he had handcuffed me, he opened the door and pushed me through it.

As he led me to the bathroom, I thought hard. I needed to know how much time I had before we reached Kyoshi Island, but if I asked, he'd get suspicious. Feng seemed distracted, though. His eyes were glassy as he led me through the hallway and I guessed he was thinking about his son. Maybe if I caught him off guard he'd give me the information I needed.

"So… your son, huh?"

He raised his eyebrows in alert. "You heard?"

I nodded, and looked down, trying to appear depressed. Then I gave him a faint smile. "Two more days, you get the Avatar, and then back home, right?"

His eyes scanned my face, trying to detect something. I swallowed hard. "At least you get to go home. I'm going to prison."

He blinked, and looked down, his expression clear as water as he fell for my act. He understood why I was depressed, and he felt a little sorry for me. A part of my brain realized how unusual that must be in a Fire Navy soldier, but on the outside I kept the act.

Feng shook his head. "It's three days to Kyoshi, and then two months till we get home. I'll arrive just in time for my boy's third birthday."

I smiled to myself. _Gotcha._ So I had three days' time.

Shui Feng let me inside the bathroom, without taking the cuffs off my hands, as usual. I didn't worry. I could waterbend anyway. Instead of sitting in the cup, I flicked my hands, and a few drops of toilet water floated upwards. I focused on dividing the particles of water from the rest, wrinkling my nose at the foul smell. A minute later, I had a floating ball of clean water in front of me. I maintained the water in the air with one hand, and with the other I carefully spread drops of water over my clothes. I almost lost concentration when Shui Feng knocked on the door.

"Everything right in there?"

I answered instinctively, "Yeah!", but then I realized that it was stupid and decided to buy myself some more time and more visits to the bathroom. "Actually, I think something I ate affected my stomach… I'm not feeling so well…"

There was a momentary silence outside, and I guessed Feng probably didn't know what to do. I hurried to finish the job and then I quickly inserted two fingers in my mouth. I had learnt that you could provoke your own vomit, when once in the South Pole I had accidentally swallowed a spine while eating fish and I stuck my fingers in my throat to take it out. I had ended up throwing up all over the food. Sokka had had to run outside, barely keeping from throwing up himself, and Hakoda had been the next, but both Katara and Gran Gran had immediately tried to help me and see if I was alright. Then they helped me clean everything up, and Hakoda had apologized for running away. Sokka had been pretty angry, because it happened to be the first meal he had fished himself, but I had promised to make it up to him, and the next day I had brought him an artic hen. I remembered his grin when he saw the hen, and a tiny smile formed on my face, which made me throw up faster.

Shui Feng rushed in when he heard the sound, and he found me on my knees, face inside the toilet. I wiped my mouth with my sleeve, and offered him a weak smile.

"It's alright, I'll be fine, it was just a little–" but then my stomach expelled a new surge of acid liquid, this time all on its own, and I leaned over the toilet to let it all out.

Shui Feng disappeared, and I tried to get on my feet, but I felt weak. I remembered Gran Gran had warned me that throwing up made you feel exhausted, because "the effort of expelling things down the wrong path" was too much.

Two more soldiers appeared to carry me to my cell, and they deposited me on my bed. After quickly removing my handcuffs, Shui Feng left through the door, vouching aloud that he'd call Iroh. As soon as the door slammed shut, I sat up. With a quick flick, I withdrew the drops from my clothes and created a tiny floating ball of water. Then I clenched my fists and watched the water freeze, turning into a slightly larger ball of ice. I considered it for a second. Still too small. _Dang._

I stood up and walked to the opposite wall of my cell, the one that separated me from the ocean. I kneeled at the corner and placed the water over the wall, very gently. Then I closed my fists, ordering it to freeze. The water turned into a thin layer of ice over the wall, barely distinguishable from a bit of winter frost. I observed my work for an instant, checking that it wouldn't melt, and then I ran back to my bed.

I covered myself with the sheets and curled up, clutching at my stomach. As I remembered the sensation of throwing up, I felt some more nausea. Perfect. A few minutes later, Iroh burst in through the door.

"What happened?"

"Nothing, Iroh. Just something that didn't sit well with my stomach."

He narrowed his eyes with suspicion. "But it had never happened before."

I shrugged, trying to look very tired and in need of sleep. I let my eyes close, as I shifted between the sheets.

"I just need to sleep…" I whispered, acting as if I was about to pass out. I felt Iroh's warm hand on my forehead, and I relaxed visibly, trying to fall asleep. Soon after, I heard the door being closed.

I waited a few more minutes and then opened my eyes. I moved very slightly, trying to avoid the creak from the bed, and paid attention to the noises around. I listened for about half an hour, and all I could hear was the shuffling of someone's feet outside the door. The soldier that took the night shift was already guarding my door. Great. I smiled with satisfaction. Kira's Escaping Masterplan, Phase 1: complete.

The next day I asked for the bathroom twice, repeating the process of bringing water to my cell. Each time, after returning to my cell, I collected all the water I had and checked the size of the ice ball, deciding that I still needed more. Shui Feng didn't seem to suspect anything, but when Iroh came at sunset, I noticed a gleam of distrust in his eyes I had never seen before.

"Feng says you know that we're docking on Kyoshi Island the day after tomorrow," he casually said while I was practicing with the guitar. I felt chills running down my back, but I managed to keep my poker face and my fingers steady. I looked away, as if saddened by the reminder.

"Yeah, I… I overheard the soldiers talking…"

Iroh examined me with his golden eyes, and I felt tempted to squirm away from his gaze, because I had the unpleasant feeling he knew I was up to something. But I focused on the song I was playing at the guitar.

"The Avatar is in Kyoshi Island," Iroh added, and I saw him studying my reactions carefully.

I swallowed hard, and my fingers stopped playing. I looked up.

"Iroh, can you promise me something?"

He just stared at me.

"Can you promise that if I go to jail, you'll still come and visit me?" As I imagined the possibility, I realized it was actually very likely I'd end up like that if I didn't escape, so it wasn't hard to pretend I was scared to death of that. I _was_ scared. I blinked a few times and felt my eyes go wet. _Yes. That's right. That's what I need._

Iroh looked at me, but he didn't react to my emotional scene. He nodded curtly.

"Of course I will."

I looked up and gave him a weak smile. "Thanks." I wiped my eyes with my sleeve and continued to play the guitar. But inside I was shaking. That Iroh wasn't impressed meant that he didn't buy my act, and that was not good. And to be honest, I thought my performance was pretty lame too.

After finishing his tea, he stood up, and he gave me a true smile, the first since he had entered my cell.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Kira."

When he disappeared through the door, I stumbled backwards, suddenly exhausted after the tension, and I felt the adrenaline stop pumping through me. Without another word I went to bed and fell asleep.

* * *

The next two days were spent in complete tension, as I had to pretend to be sick so that they'd let me out to the bathroom more often. Shui Feng seemed truly concerned about me, but I knew that Iroh knew I was up to something. When he came the following night with the board of Pai Sho, he was cold and distant. What kept bugging me was that I didn't understand why he did nothing. If he knew I was planning something, what was he waiting for? For me to escape? Did he want that? I didn't think so. That would be a terrible set back in Prince Zuko's plans, and Iroh would never allow it. So what game was he playing at? It was a little scary to be playing against such a great player as Iroh.

Even so, I knew that I had to keep the Avatar from being caught. That was the primary objective. Aang needed to be warned about Zuko's plans, and actually, I wanted to escape not so much for me but for him. I had valuable information I could pass on, and I could be helpful to him. The Avatar was the key to ending this horrible war and stopping the Fire Nation. I had lived most of my life with a family that had been ripped apart by the Fire Nation, and I was an orphan myself. I had seen what kind of misery they were bringing upon the world, and the moment I had stepped between the Avatar and Prince Zuko I had made the decision to help to stop this war, even if it cost me my life.

The day that we were supposed to dock at Kyoshi Island, I devoted the entire morning to listening. The ship seemed to be boiling with excitement and movement. Booted feet ran past my door several times, up and down the hallway, and I sensed the floor vibrating when the engines were put on maximum speed. The waves kept slapping against the hull, and I heard Shui Feng sigh many times. Undoubtedly he didn't want to be here, and he was nervous about the whole thing. Today he'd know if he was going to see his wife and son after three years. For a moment I felt sorry for him, but he wasn't my responsibility. Even if he had been forced to enroll in the Fire Navy –which I couldn't be sure of– it wasn't my problem.

It was because of this stupid war, I thought with anger. But the cold ball of ice in my hands brought me the peace of mind I needed.

At about noon, I felt the engines die suddenly, and then the sound of many feet trotting over the ship became audible to my ears. Five minutes later, the hull vibrated when the anchor went down, and a heavy bump made the ship tremble. I waited, listening, and heard how the sound of feet marching faded to my right, towards the bow. I smiled. Zuko was leading his men down towards the island.

I waited five more minutes until it was all more quiet, and then I took action. Kira's Escaping Master Plan, Phase 2 was about to start. I positioned myself in front of the door. I melted the ball of ice and then re-froze the water over the door's lock. Then I moved to the opposite side of the cell, I ran two steps and then jumped with both feet. This was the decisive moment. This was when the metal was supposed to break, and the door would open. But I wasn't sure it would work.

Miraculously, the door swung open and I heard a muffled cry as Shui Feng was crushed between the door and the wall. I muttered a "sorry" as I got up and ran down the hall, as silently as I could.

I sneaked all the way up to deck, unnoticed, and I lifted the hatch one centimeter to look around. The deck seemed deserted, but I knew better. I located some crates to my right. I took a deep breath and opened the hatch, climbing out. Then I closed it silently, and as I was about to spring up and ran to the crates, my blood froze. Iroh was standing ten feet away from me, looking towards the island. I stood there, in a crouching position, frozen, for a few seconds, not daring to even breathe. But since Iroh was giving me his back, I realized this would be my only chance. Without a sound, I sprung to my feet and ran towards the railing, jumping over it. I quickly pulled some water up to receive my body, so that the fall wouldn't kill me, and I gracefully submerged in my element.

I felt as if I was coming back to life. I let it fill me, the energy of the water, enjoying the cold contact with my skin, as I let my own weight pull me down. Then I opened my eyes and I looked up. The ship loomed over me like a huge metal monster, but I couldn't see the railing. Someone had probably heard the splash and they would come to check. If they saw me in the clear water, I'd be in trouble. I turned around and swam deeper, and towards the shore. Now that I was in my element, I felt optimistic. I was free! I'd help Aang. Nothing could stop me now.

I swam to the shore in froggy style, my arms pushing more water behind with waterbending. Aided by my bending, I reached the shore in almost no time. I broke the surface with a gasp, throwing my head backwards, and inhaling the sweet salty air of the Ocean of the South.

Okay, I was free. Stage 2, complete. Now I needed to find out what had happened with Prince Zuko, if he had found Aang, and what could I do to help. I ran up the shore, and bent the water out of my clothes, drying myself before the breeze made me cold.

As I reached the end of the beach, I stopped to look around. I was in a deserted spot of the beach, which had no constructions on. Zuko's ship was 300 feet to my right, and I took a few steps back, taking cover under the trees. Suddenly, a fresh scent hit my nose. It smelled like earth, and water, and life. I turned around and stared at the jungle before me. Only then it hit me that it was the first time in my living memory that I was so close to the trees. I had lived in the South Pole for as long as I could remember, and I felt suddenly bewitched by how alive the earth felt here. The earth was humid, the trees were huge, and as I placed my fingers on a tree I was surprised to feel how rugged it was. The roots of the trees stretched over the ground like snakes, and I could hear the buzz of insects and the cries of birds, and the soft roar of the waves licking the beach behind me. The beauty of it all was simply stunning, and it wasn't without difficulty that I tore myself away from it and I focused on the next step in my plan: finding Aang.

I threw myself to the ground, and rolled over the wet earth, drawing some water from the ocean to make the mud stickier, and I didn't stop until all of my clothes and my skin were covered in mud. Then I crawled closer to the ocean, and I stared at my right. The Fire Navy ship had anchored in what looked like a small bay, but there was a path between the trees that led inwards, to the heart of the island. I crawled back to the trees and walked about ten feet into the forest, and then I turned to the left, following the shore line. I made my way through the woods till I saw a clearing ten feet ahead of me. Fire Nation soldiers kept running back and forth, and I heard low grumbles and heavy breathing, that could not belong to a human. And then I saw a soldier carrying a huge animal back to the ship. My jaw dropped: I wasn't counting to fight against animals like those. But the poor monster seemed to be resigned to his fate, and other than a few loud sighs it did not do anything. I turned right, following the path into the island.

As I walked from tree to tree, swiftly, close to the ground and silently, I could hear screams and explosions far ahead. It seemed Zuko had begun his attack. After about a mile, I saw roofs ahead, and the screams became more audible, along with barked orders and the whooshing sounds of firebending. I clenched my teeth. They were destroying this island and its people! I wanted to just burst out of nowhere and punch Prince Zuko's head until they decided to leave, but I forced myself to remember my target: Aang.

I turned right again and followed the forest's edge, surrounding the clearing, until I was at the other end of the small village. Then I saw a bunch of girls dressed in the strangest attire I had ever seen, wearing some white make up all over their faces and wielding nothing but fans, running towards the Fire Nation soldiers, who were led by Prince Zuko himself. I wanted to shout to the girls, tell them not to be stupid, but yet again, I had to keep quiet, for Aang's sake. _Damn it!_

I ran out of the woods to the closest house, and took cover behind it. And then I felt my heart stop. Aang and Katara were just two houses away from me. My heart leapt in my chest at seeing my sister in all her beauty.

"Katara!" I shouted, but my scream was muffled by an explosion close nearby. I saw Katara put her hand on Aang's shoulder, who seemed depressed, and she said something reassuring to him. He nodded, pouting, and took a little white object to his mouth. A shrill sound filled the air, instantly replaced by a loud roar.

Aang and Katara ran away from the house, towards where Zuko and his men were surely fending off the girls.

"Aang! Katara!" I screamed again, but when I turned around the corner of the house, I saw Appa the bison, Aang and Katara already perched on the saddle, and I watched in awe as one of the girls ran towards Appa's tail and hoisted herself up.

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang screamed, and my heart stopped again in horror. The adrenaline started to pump through me as I saw the bison slam his tail against the ground, almost blowing me away, and set off.

"Nooo! Wait for me! Aang! Katara!"

Aang leaned over the saddle and stared at me, frowning. It was then that I remembered I had covered myself with mud, and I was probably unrecognizable. And then a strong hand pulled from my wrist. I lost balance and fell full force against someone's chest. A strong arm surrounded my waist, and I was quickly immobilized.

"Avatar! I've got your friend! If you don't want her to die today, surrender yourself!"

My jaw dropped. I had been caught by none other than Prince Zuko! I immediately turned around and began to struggle against him, but he had me in a good grip. I shrieked in rage, and raised my knee to meet his crotch. But he was prepared for that, and his thigh received the hit. Even so, I distracted him for a moment, and I was able to release one hand. I pushed him away as hard as I could, at the same time that I put my foot behind his ankle, and he lost balance, falling back. I pulled back, trying to release myself, but his fingers around my wrist pulled from me and I lost balance too, falling on top of him.

"Trying to escape, waterbender?" he hissed, and I bared my teeth as I struggled to get free of him. And then my heart froze again when I heard a familiar voice. My brother's.

"Aang, it's Kira! We must go back!"

The desperation gave me renewed forces. I kicked, punched to get free from Zuko's grip, but he didn't let me go until I bit him. I jumped to my feet and ran away from him. I saw Appa flying over me, close to the ground, just ahead of me, and the girl that had jumped on his tail reached out a hand for me to grasp.

"Jump!"

When I heard the voice I knew that the girl was actually Sokka. I frowned at him as I ran.

"Sokka?"

"Jump! I'll catch you!" he repeated, his blue eyes imploring me to trust him, but as I jumped, Appa roared and shifted course suddenly, and as I flew over the air I saw he had narrowly missed a fireball. I crashed against the ground, hard, and I almost lost conscience. But I fought desperately against myself, clutching at that little grain of hope with claws and teeth, and I jumped back to my feet. My whole body ached, and I was feeling dizzy from the concussion, but I demanded one last effort from my body. I reached a house and took cover behind it, panting. I looked up and saw Appa soaring high, turning around to come down again. A little to the right I could hear Zuko barking orders:

"Don't let them get away! Fire with all you've got! Burn the entire island if necessary, but the Avatar cannot escape this time!"

I watched Appa try to descend one more time, but the fireballs soaring towards him didn't let him get closer. The houses set on fire weren't helping, and the villagers were running around in panic now, which made it harder to locate me between them. I put a hand against my chest, and felt my heart banging against my ribs like it was my last day.

"What is our primary mission, Kira?" I asked myself, aloud. I didn't want to acknowledge the truth, so I had to say it to believe it. "The Avatar's freedom," I answered myself.

I nodded to myself once, and decided on the course of action. Then I took a deep breath and ran back towards the center of the village, waving my arms.

"Aang! Don't do it! Get away! Go! I'll distract them!"

I heard Zuko roar behind me. "What the hell are you doing?! Someone stop her!"

"Katara! I'll deal with them! I've made it so far! You guys go away!"

Up in the air, Appa roared with frustration when the fireballs didn't let him descend. Aang leaned over from the saddle, with a determined expression, and I feared the worst.

"Noooo! Aang, noo! Get away, right now!" I waved my arms frantically, hoping he'd get the message.

I caught a glance of him frowning up there before the weight of a man fell on top of me.

"You're going to send him away!" Zuko's voice hissed in my ear. "I'm not gonna let you do that."

His strong arm surrounded my waist and he pulled me to my feet with hardly any effort.

"Avatar! If you leave, she dies!"

"No! He won't kill me! I'm useful to them! Trust me, Aang! You need to go, NOW!"

Zuko's hand covered my mouth, as he shouted to Aang, but I bit him again. He shrieked with surprise, and I took the chance to run towards the forest.

"Get her!" Zuko ordered behind me, but I was fast, and the soldiers were on top of their animals, so when they reached the edge of the forest, I had already disappeared inside.

I ran about 300 feet into the forest, and then I stopped to look behind me. No one was following me. I sat over a fallen tree trunk to catch my breath, and I looked up. The leaves from the trees didn't let me see much, but I caught a glimpse of Appa flying around. I got up and continued running towards the beach… or where I thought the beach was. Appa's roars became fainter, and the ground started to rise, as the trees began to get thinner. I glanced back and saw that I had been running up a cliff. Far ahead, I could see Appa fly in circles over the small town. Suddenly, he took a different direction, and aimed to the beach, at my right. They were clearly looking for me. I shouted and waved my arms frantically, but they didn't seem to notice me.

I watched as Appa flew over Zuko's ship and into the ocean. And then a small figure dropped from the saddle, into the water. _What the hell…?_ A minute later, a huge monster rose from the ocean. I gripped at my chest in horror, but then the monster spat an immense amount of water over the island, reaching as far as the village inside. When it was done, it sank back into the water, and I saw the small figure open up his glider and fly all the way up to Appa. I looked back at the village, soaking wet. The fire had been turned off, and I could see men clad in red and black sprawled over the ground. Then they all started to sit up, coughing and trying to shake off the water. In the air, Appa turned around and soared towards the horizon, becoming only a small spot in almost no time.

I sighed. At least I had guaranteed Aang's freedom, for the moment. But I was in an island, about one mile away from Zuko and his men, and I had lost my opportunity to reunite with my siblings. What was I supposed to do now? I only knew one thing: whatever I did, I wouldn't return to Zuko.

Then I heard a shuffle of branches and trees right behind me, and to my horror, Iroh came out of the woods. I stepped back. He stood still and stared at me. I thought he must have been furious at me, but I could see no hint of anger behind his golden eyes. There wasn't any warmth, either. I looked around me, but there was nowhere to go. The cliff ended a few feet behind me, but if I jumped I would most certainly meet my death: the rocks had sharp edges down below.

I was waiting for Iroh to say something, but he remained at his spot, calm and collected, and in silence. Until I couldn't take it anymore.

"What are you going to do with me? Are you here to kill me?"

Iroh raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'd do that?"

I shook my head, beginning to panic. "I'm not gonna go back to Zuko, Iroh, I won't!"

"Do you see any alternative?"

"Yes, let me go!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

My breath began to hitch. "I… I… I'll do anything! Just don't send me back there!"

Iroh stared at me. "… Anything?"

I stared back, frowning at the calculating tone of his voice. My answer was straightforward. "I will do anything."

"Then we can strike a deal."

I stared at him. "_What?_"

"A deal."

I didn't like the sound of this. "What kind of deal?"

"Well, you don't want to be stuck in a cell, and I don't want you to leave. You could be an invaluable help."

I shook my head. "No. Never. I'll never help you capture Aang."

Iroh sighed, and he pinched his chin, lost in thought. I was staring at him, completely baffled. What was he doing? I had betrayed his trust, escaped, and told the Avatar to escape. Under all circumstances, he should be furious. And still, here he was, standing in front of me, offering me a _deal_?

"Then how would you feel about assisting us in other ways?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, I don't know. Cooking, cleaning, sewing… We don't have many women on board, and they are soldiers. I think someone like you could be very useful to the crew."

I stared at him with my mouth open.

"You want me to _cook_?"

"Among other things. You could always spar with the men, or prepare tea… Assist us in any way we need."

"No, that's too broad. I told you I won't help you capture Aang. Besides, after what I did today, do you really think Zuko is going to let me stay on the ship?"

"Oh, I'll take care of that," he said optimistically.

I stared at him. What the hell was he doing?

"So if I agree to cook for you, sew, spar, and "assist" you, what do I get in return?"

"Freedom aboard the ship, and your personal belongings."

I stared at him. He had to be kidding me. Why would he even propose something like that? I shook my head, confused.

"I don't understand."

Iroh sighed. "Let me put it this way: I think your presence and personality will be beneficial for Zuko and the crew. Yes, we are annoyed at you for escaping and aiding the Avatar, and my personal way of punishing you is putting you at our service. What do you think?"

"I told you, I'm not helping you capture the Avatar," I repeated.

Iroh rolled his eyes, the first sign of exasperation I had ever seen in the patient man.

"Fine, fine, not about the Avatar, but yes to all the rest. Are we clear?"

I considered it. I would be putting myself under Fire Nation service. I'd be their pet, almost like a slave, but on the other hand, I would be able to walk around the ship and get my things. I pointed my finger at Iroh.

"You can't force me to help you capture Aang."

Iroh nodded. "Done. And you will not attempt to escape again. I want your promise."

I bit my lower lip. What would Katara do in my place?

One thing was certain. If they locked me up again in a cell, I would never get out again. And that meant that I couldn't help Aang if Zuko found him again. My chances were far better if I agreed to Iroh's terms. Besides, if I gathered more information about the Fire Nation, my knowledge would be even more valuable later. And finally, I really, really didn't want to return to that ugly little cell. Not now that I had been in the water, seen a forest, and experienced _life_.

"I should warn you about something, Iroh," I began. It wasn't really necessary that I stated this, but I already felt guilty and Iroh was offering me a way out. I felt I definitely owed him, so the least I could do was to be honest with him.

"If we see ourselves in a situation where the Avatar's freedom, or safety, is at stake, I will do everything in my power to ensure his freedom. I will actively pursue this objective. And I will strike no deal if you cannot understand this."

I saw the shadow of doubt cross Iroh's eyes.

"I don't think you can. Zuko would kill you before letting the Avatar escape again."

I sighed. "Then so be it."

Iroh was silent for a minute, thinking. Then he looked up, straight into my eyes. "Kira, you will have to trust me. I will guarantee your safety and freedom on board, and I will not force you to help us if the Avatar shows up."

"You're gonna let me_ help him_?" I asked, unable to believe him.

"I will see what to do when the situation arises."

"That's not good enough, Iroh."

"It's all I can offer you."

I looked at him. "I can't promise I will be a good girl if Aang shows up."

He nodded. "I'm counting on that."

I didn't like it, but I didn't really have any other choice. With a sinking feeling, I reached out my hand. Iroh shook my hand.

"Deal?"

"Deal," I sighed, and then we directed our steps to the ship.

* * *

"You did WHAT?" Zuko roared.

Both Iroh and I flinched at the fury of the Fire Lord's firstborn. The candles' fire flared up to the roof, and I shrunk behind Iroh, wondering again why the hell I had agreed to this.

"A deal, Zuko. She helps us if we restore her freedom aboard the ship."

The Prince narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm not buying it."

I cleared my throat. Better now than never. "Not when it comes to the Avatar."

Zuko's eyes widened, bewildered. "Then what good are you?!"

Iroh interceded. "Apparently, she's a good cook."

Zuko directed his enraged glare at Iroh, who swallowed hard, and then the Prince screamed out of sheer frustration.

"I'm never gonna catch the Avatar if I have to carry around dead meat! She bit me! I should have her executed!"

Now it was my turn of swallowing hard.

"Now, now, there's no reason to get this upset…" Iroh said softly.

"There isn't?!" Zuko looked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I was _this_ close to capturing the Avatar, and thanks to her, he slipped through my fingers! Again!"

Then he sighed, and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You're making my head hurt, Uncle. As if I didn't have enough to worry about… But fine, if you want to keep her as your puppy, be my guest."

Iroh smiled, and I breathed, relieved. But Zuko opened his eyes and stared at me for a few seconds. I felt strangely uncomfortable under his gaze. He was clearly angry, but when he looked into my eyes, I saw his anger _melt_, replaced by something else that I couldn't define. Was it… curiosity? Then he looked at his Uncle and his eyes hardened again.

"Uncle, I am holding you responsible for her every action. You want to keep her, fine, but if she meddles in my plans again you're going to have to punish her in front of everyone's eyes. And if she escapes, you'll respond to the Fire Lord for her."

"She won't escape," Iroh replied. "She promised."

Zuko huffed. "And you believe her?" He stared at me again. I felt suddenly annoyed that they were talking about me like I wasn't here, but then I looked at the Prince's eyes and once again, I saw this funny expression at the back of his eyes, hidden behind his anger, and my own anger turned to curiosity. What could he possibly be thinking? Why hadn't he slapped me yet for biting him and ruining his plans? What was he playing at?

Prince Zuko rolled his eyes. "Fine. But I'm warning you, Uncle, she falls completely under your responsibility. Now get out of my sight."

Iroh bowed and pulled me out of the room. He gave me a huge grin. "Now the hardest part is done. Let's get you a bedchamber, shall we?"

He led me down the hall. But I stopped half way, turned around and looked him in the eyes.

"Be honest, Iroh. Why are you doing this?"

Iroh sighed, and looked down.

"I guess I got used to your company. Zuko is a great man, but he tends to brooding a lot. I like having you on board, and I wasn't lying when I said I think you'll be useful. I do. I am sure that the crew will see in you what I see, and they will welcome you."

I stared at him for a long time, trying hard not to melt at his words and do some actual thinking. I didn't want to believe him, and at the same time, I did. I didn't trust him entirely –he was Fire Nation after all– but I had always felt he didn't need to lie to me. I wanted to believe him, so bad…

He walked past me and down the hallway, and he stopped three doors ahead. He opened the door.

"Ah, I think you'll be comfortable here."

He smiled at me, a pleasant, warm smile, and I walked towards him, doubtful, but wanting to believe. I was sick of not being able to trust anyone. When I saw the room, I gasped.

The bed was larger, and with a thick mattress. It was made of wood, and screwed to the metal floor. There was a small space on my left that could be either a chimney or an altar, with a fluffy mat in front. There was also a wooden one-drawer night table, attached to the floor as well. The sheets looked clean, and the cover was soft. The room looked clean and airy.

But the best feature of all was a large round window, which could be opened, and that had a wooden windowsill attached.

"To tell you the truth, I had that windowsill made last week. I was intending to move you here anyway. I had it furnished for you. It's the privilege of being one of the few ladies on board. The other two women share one room, slightly bigger than this one, and with a private bath."

I couldn't speak. I turned around to stare at Iroh, my mouth open, my eyes welling with fresh tears. I didn't know what to say.

Iroh seemed very pleased with my reaction. "You see, I couldn't let you go before you saw this room. I had prepared it for you after all."

"Iroh… I…"

He simply grinned, and bowed to me for an instant before heading out. But I stopped him with a hug. I threw my arms around him, my tears wetting his chest.

"I… I don't deserve this, Iroh. I'm… Thank you. How can I ever repay you for your kindness?"

"Just cook. I hear that Water Tribe meals are delicious, and I've never tried them."

I wiped the tears away as I grinned at him too. "Well, I am actually considered a good cook in my Tribe. My specialty is the artic hen. I'll prepare one for you tomorrow, ok?"

Iroh's eyes positively gleamed with joy. "I would like that."

And just like that, he closed the door, and I knew that it was unlocked, which meant that I could go anywhere I wanted. But the first thing I did was to open up the window and sit on the windowsill. The fresh breeze played with my hair as I inhaled the salty smell.

Too many things had happened in one day, and I needed to think about it all. Who were those girls dressed in green? Why was Sokka wearing that costume? Why was Aang there on the first place? But those were stupid questions. The important question was what would they do now that they had seen me, and then lost me in that island. Did they think I'd be there, hiding somewhere? Probably. It was the sensible thing to do after all. Once they realized I was still under Zuko's custody, would they come for me? I hoped not. I hoped they wouldn't worry about me.

And now, this deal I had made with Iroh bound me to Prince Zuko and his Uncle. I had to serve my skills for them as long as they wanted, but in exchange, I could get better living conditions. This window and the windowsill was a massive improvement. And Iroh had said I'd get my daggers, and I'd be able to spar with the men. He seemed to intend me to become one more of the crew.

I was deeply thankful to Iroh, but knowing that I had sworn to aid the Fire Nation Prince still made me uneasy. I watched the sun set over the horizon, for the first time in weeks, and when it sank I decided to call it a day and go to sleep.

I slipped between the silky sheets, and hummed in satisfaction. This was a real bed. It was even better than the bunks I'd slept on at the South Pole. _Thank you, Iroh._

_Aang... be careful._

* * *

_A/N: Omg, this whole rewriting thing is exhausting, but exhilarating. When I reread the original chapters I realized there were so many things, actions and places I had in my mind but never described. I hope you get to see a better glimpse of it all now. It's funny that I'm doing this now, because I began to write this story exactly one year ago. As you can see, there are slight changes to the plot, but nothing major. This chapter went from 3000 words to 10.000, it's insane! But I do hope you like the change. I'm also toying around with chapter 27. It's just that I'm not sure about how the story will go on from then on. I hope I do have time to finish it and post it -gosh, six months later!_

_As always, thanks for reading and R&R!_


	5. A Night To Remember

_**Author's note: As promised, here goes the 5th chapter! Enjoy!**_

* * *

**Chapter 5: A night to remember**

The next days flew by. The crew slowly got used to me, and got over their initial hostility towards me. Iroh's attitude helped a lot, and he invited me to the common dinner, so I got used to dining with him and the troops, instead of at my own bedchamber.

Being the only woman on board had its perks. Everyone began to be nicer to me after a few days, and I did my best to fit in. Some days I went down to the kitchen and assisted the cook, who was the only one onboard to like me immediately, as soon as he saw my abilities for cooking.

Other times I walked to the bridge and Lieutenant Jee showed me the maps and taught me how to read the indicators of the ship.

Some other days I went down to the infirmary and the doctor onboard accepted me as assistant, showing me how to heal minor injuries.

This way I learned a lot about the crew, their lives, their jobs and positions, and useful tips for life on the wild, always encouraged by Iroh, who had me recount everything I'd done in the day when we met at my chamber to have our cup of evening tea and play some Pai Sho or practice playing the guitar.

In the meantime, in my free time I practiced my bending, which fortunately got better as we travelled. I also practiced throwing and fighting with my daggers, which was my specialty in the Water Tribe. Iroh was pleased to find out other good use for me, and the very next day after I practiced with them for the first time on the ship, he showed up with a pair of shoulder sheaths where I could carry the daggers. He seemed intent on teaching me how to survive, and making a highly skilled teenager out of me. I gladly took on all his lessons, and tried to learn all I could, both out of curiosity and because I thought I'd be useful some day.

Some other days he chose to train Zuko, and I sat on deck, watching the Prince spar with his own men, as I learned about firebending, the stances and the movements.

I was free on board, but Zuko would never let me out the ship. Wherever we docked, at a marketplace to buy supplies, at an island to get water or at a village to get information, I always had to wait on the ship till they returned.

I didn't talk to Zuko again after Kyoshi Island, but I always saw him on the bridge, scanning the ocean with his spyglass, and when he trained with Iroh. His obsession over the Avatar was an enigma to me, though I knew he believed he had to capture Aang to get back his honor, because he had been banished. It was something that intrigued me whether the Fire Lord would really let him come back if he found the Avatar, but whenever I questioned Iroh he dropped the subject, intentionally. Eventually I understood he'd tell me more about Prince Zuko and his story when he wanted to.

One day, Iroh and Zuko left the ship in the morning to go buy supplies, as usual, but I was concerned when I saw only Zuko return.

I rushed to his side.

'Where's Iroh?'

He squinted at me. 'First of all, you may not be imprisoned on the ship, but I am still your captor and–'

I rolled my eyes. 'Fine. My oh-so-great flawless captor Prince Zuko, do you have any idea of where General Iroh is?' I asked with heavy sarcasm.

He glared at me. 'He's having a bath, for your information. And with "Prince Zuko" was enough' he growled angrily.

'A _bath_?'

'Indeed. But if he's not here in half an hour I'll leave without him. I have already warned him'.

'Can I go find him?' I asked.

'No' the prince replied harshly.

'But–'

'I said NO!' he repeated angrily, and he strolled past me to the bridge.

I stared at the beach, concerned.

Shortly afterwards, Zuko appeared again, aiming for the gangplank. I stepped in front of him.

'Please, Prince Zuko, allow me to go with you to fetch Iroh. I'm not going to escape, I'm just concerned about him'

He stared at me with his golden eyes, expressionlessly.

'Fine. But just for this time, and I want you within sight'

'Done' I agreed, happy to have the chance to go down to land.

We walked in the woods, and I stared at the green of the trees and the grass. I hadn't seen green since I had escaped at Kyoshi Island, and before that, I didn't even have memories of any forest at all. I placed my hand on the trunk of a tree, feeling the life in it.

'What are you doing?' Zuko inquired behind me.

'I've never seen trees like these…' I answered. 'It's amazing. The life, the colors of it all, the smells…'

'You've never seen a tree before?' he asked with heavy sarcasm.

'In fact, no, I haven't. I've lived all my life –well, what I can remember– in the South Pole, and all you get there are icebergs and polar bear dogs'

He didn't respond, and when I turned around to him, I saw he was gazing at me with a funny look in his amber eyes.

'Well, you'll see plenty of these on our journey to the Fire Nation. You'll also see our palaces, the streets, the people…' he said, and his eyes looked at me without seeing; he was remembering his home.

'Yeah, from the mean of transport you'll use to take me to prison, and only if it has windows' I replied darkly. 'And then forget about all of it'.

Zuko lowered his head and said nothing.

After walking a little further, we reached a clearing, where there was a pool of rocks that seemed to have been crushed.

'Uncle? Uncle, where are you?' Zuko called aloud, but no one answered. He looked around, as if Iroh was hiding behind a tree.

'Sir, maybe he thought you left without him?' Jin Zu, the soldier that came along with us, said.

But Prince Zuko leaned down to examine the rocks.

'Something's not right here. That pile of rocks…' he said absentmindedly.

'It looks like there's been a landslide, sir' Jin Zu suggested.

But Zuko stood up to look around. I did the same and noticed we were on top of a hill.

'Land doesn't slide uphill' I observed.

'Those rocks didn't move naturally' Zuko added, agreeing with me. 'My uncle's been captured by earthbenders!'

I gulped. He was right, of course.

'We must find him' I said.

'We?' Zuko replied. '_You_ are not going anywhere. Jin Zu, escort her back to the ship'

'But Zuko!' I protested, but then I corrected myself. 'I mean, Prince Zuko, you could use me. I'm quick, skilled, and I'm a bender too. I promised to help you in anything not related to the Avatar, and I'm behaving well. This is exactly the sort of situation you've kept me for!' I pleaded again.

Zuko stroked his chin, as he thought for a second.

'Fine. But you'll do exactly as I say, or you're back to your cell'

'You're on!' I agreed enthusiastically, raising my hand for a high five like I used to do with Sokka. But Zuko just raised one eyebrow, and I corrected myself again. 'I mean, fine by me'

Then the prince turned to the soldier. 'Jin Zu, go back to the ship and warn Lieutenant Jee about this. I'll be back as soon as possible, so keep on the lookout. Oh, and send me two rhinoceros' he ordered, and the soldier bowed obediently and ran back to the shore.

Zuko stood up in the highest part of the hill and looked around.

'So, what now?' I asked.

'Shh!' he shushed me. 'I'm trying to picture what way the earthbenders could have gone'

I imitated him, trying to see what he was seeing. But I wasn't an expert on tracking. All I had ever tracked were the polar bear dogs back at home, and it was in the middle of the snow, where each step is marked on the ground. Here, I had no idea where they could have taken Iroh.

So I tried to think what I'd do if I was back at home and I found a Fire Nation General defenseless. I would take him to Gran Gran, who was our leader. But these people didn't have just one leader and just one village.

'Is there any village nearby?' I asked Zuko.

'No, all this region is under the power of the Fire Nation. The closest free Earth Kingdom stand is Ba Sing Se, but that is many miles away from here'

'Well, if I caught a Fire Nation General off-guard I'd take him to my village, but in this case they'd take him to Ba Sing Se, right?' I deduced aloud.

Zuko stared at me, an expression of surprise in his golden eyes. 'You're right. Then we're headed that way' he said, pointing at a road about one mile away. 'We just have to wait for our rhinos and we're off' he finished.

'Great' I answered, and I sat down on the ground to wait.

After a few minutes, Zuko started pacing up and down the clearing. 'What's taking them this long? We're not so far away from the shore!'

I bit back a retort and stared at the grass in silence.

'Uncle had to do this just now? I'm in the middle of a chase, and now the Avatar is going to escape again!' he yelled furiously, throwing his arms in the air. I decided to remain silent.

'Argh!' Zuko groaned. And then he dropped on the ground at my side. I tried not to look at him, in case that made his anger worse, but it was the first time he moved this close to me, of his own accord. It made me slightly uncomfortable, but I didn't dare to move away.

He plucked a few strays of grass from the ground and burned them in his palm, frustrated.

'So, I noticed you're getting along with my men now' he blurted out suddenly.

I stared at him, surprised. Was Zuko, _Prince_ Zuko, wanting conversation with _me_?

'You've been spying on me?' I asked suspiciously, trying to level the anger in my voice.

'No!' he replied quickly. 'I mean, why should I? It's just that the men report to me, as you know'. He shifted position in his place.

'Oh' I acknowledged. 'Yeah, it's been mostly Iroh's work'

Zuko fixed his golden eyes on me, curious.

'He _does_ seem to like you'

'I guess' I replied vaguely. 'Look! There are the rhinos!' I said, pointing out to the two huge war animals that had just appeared on the clearing, led by a soldier. I felt a twinge of relief at having Zuko's eyes away from me, and I noticed with surprise that my heart was beating faster in my chest.

Zuko jumped to his feet. 'Let's go!'

And so we rode the rhinos into the woods.

A little while later, we were speeding down the path that Zuko had picked up, when I began to hear weird noises around, like something hustling between the trees. I glanced aside and saw a shadow moving at our same pace, which was way too fast for any human being on his feet.

'Zuko! There's–' but then I looked ahead, at the prince, and I saw a huge hole appear in the ground right in front of his rhino. 'Watch out!' I yelled, but too late. With a howl Zuko and his ride fell down the hole. I managed to stop my own animal and jumped down, running to the hole, but I gasped when I saw the hole had disappeared, swallowing the banished prince.

'Zuko!'

But then something sharp hit me on the back of my head and everything went pitch black.

* * *

When I came back to my senses, I saw a man dressed in green standing in front of me, looking down at me sternly. I was sitting on the ground, and I felt dizzy, my head felt heavy.

'What…? What just happened?' I asked, still confused from the blow.

'We got captured, what else?' Zuko's voice hissed behind me. Only then, when I tried to stand up, I noticed a thick rope surrounding my torso and my arms, and that I was tied up to something. I pulled from the ropes unsuccessfully.

'Ow! Stop moving!' Zuko hissed behind me again, and only then I noticed I was tied up… to his back.

'Two more Fire Nation soldiers' said the man standing in front of me. 'We should put them together with the General'

'They're too far away now' another man said, a few meters ahead, shaking his head. 'We won't catch up with them in time'

'What's your name?' the first man inquired me. I didn't respond, because my head still felt sluggish. 'I said what's your name!' he yelled at me, as he slapped my face hard.

'Hey!' I yelled back in anger as soon as I felt my cheek again. 'I had enough with one blow, thank you! My name is Won Won, by the way'

'Won Won? That's the stupidest fake name I've ever heard' the man answered, frowning.

'Fine!' I rolled my eyes. 'I'm Kaya'

'You both will be taken to Ba Sing Se, to be tried out for your crimes'

'What crimes? I haven't done anything!' I protested.

'Ki– I mean, Kaya, shut up!' Zuko snapped behind me.

'What were you doing here anyway?' the man asked, crouching down to be level with my eyes.

'We were just taking a bath!' I replied, looking as innocent and naïve as I could, and wanting to slap myself as soon as the words left my mouth. Spirits, couldn't I come up with _anything_ better?

'You look quite dry for a bath' he observed. 'Besides, it is the first time I see Fire Nation soldiers taking a bath on war rhinoceros'.

'Hey Yeng!' other voice said behind me. 'This one is the Fire Nation Prince! The banished one! We'll get some good rewards for him!' and I felt Zuko move his head quickly, as if he snatched his scarred face from the Earthbender's hands.

'Great. Now we really are dead men.' I muttered to Zuko.

The man standing in front of me walked around me to get a better look at Zuko.

'We leave tomorrow at dawn' he ordered, and the men around did not utter another word and began setting the fireplace and sleeping bags for the night. 'Zhan, you'll take the first guard' One of the men before me nodded shortly.

'Three on my side, how many can you count?' I whispered to Zuko.

'Two' he whispered back.

Five against two. Great. If we could bend it'd be a piece of cake, but I couldn't move my arms, and I guessed Zuko couldn't either.

'Can you bend us out of here?' I asked him.

'How? I can't move my hands nor my feet because we're sitting!' he replied angrily.

'Okay. I have an idea, but you'll have to give me some time'

'Hurry!' was his quick answer.

I watched the men cook their meal, dine and get ready for bed, ignoring us like we were nothing but a pair of oddly-shaped rocks. The guard started pacing up and down, looking at the trees. They seemed confident we could not escape, but luckily for us they didn't know I was a waterbender. Besides, the moon was full that night, which enhanced my bending.

I concentrated on the pot they had left on the now dead fire, and closed my eyes, trying to release my chi and feel the water. Slowly I began to move my wrists (the only part of my arms I could move) in a slow graceful motion, and I felt the water move following my command. Then I clenched my fists, and tried to order the water to freeze. I didn't know if this would work, because it wasn't the exact waterbending move, but I concentrated all the energy I had in my body and prayed to the full Moon it would work.

Then, with a muffled scream of joy, I sensed the water obeying me. Now it would be easier. I opened my eyes and located the guard, staring at the woods at my left. I raised the ice ball and threw it at his head, hitting the base of his skull. The man fell down with a low moan.

I kept quiet for a second to see if any of the other Earthbenders had heard, but nobody moved.

'Come on! We can go now' I whispered to Zuko.

'How?' he asked, because since he was sitting behind me he hadn't seen anything. 'Can't you cut the ropes?'

'No, it's a much more difficult move, and the first thing is to get out from here. At my sign, we stand up, okay?'

'Now who put _you_ in charge?' he asked angrily, clearly mad at the idea of someone giving him orders.

'Zuko, if you want to be freed just do as I say!' I hissed back at him, my patience running out.

'I shouldn't have brought you here on the first place!' he retorted, more to himself than to me.

'Zuko, if you don't do as I say I'll knock you down just like I knocked down the guard and I'll drag you all along. I bet you'll prefer the good way' I menaced through gritted teeth.

'Fine' he growled back, obviously upset.

'We stand up on the count of three. One, two, three!' I counted, and we tried to stand up at the same time. Naturally we fell down again.

'You're a–!'

'Shh!' I cut him, to observe at the men sleeping nearby. They must have slept like rocks, because they didn't move.

'It was the wrong way. We have to support each other's weight and lean on one another' I told Zuko, but he was busy cursing me under his breath.

'Look, we're gonna have to cooperate if we want to get out of this' I said.

'Don't lecture me!' he retorted, his anger obviously reaching dangerous limits again.

'Use your brains then!' I snapped back at him. At that he fell silent. 'Like I said, we have to lean on each other and move at the same time or we'll fall down again' I paused to think. 'I'll use my left leg and you use your right, to support our weight as we stand up, okay?'

He didn't answer.

'I'll take that as a yes' I said, losing my patience. 'On the count of three again. One, two, three!' And I bent my left leg and tried to stand on it, as I leaned part of my weight on Zuko and he did the same.

Not without difficulty, we finally got to stand up and I sighed in relief.

'Now let's get out of here!' Zuko said, and this time I let him take the lead, as I ran backwards.

When we had run a while we stopped, panting.

'I guess we're far enough now' I said, my tongue out.

'Yeah. Can you release us _now_?' he asked, his voice dangerously silky.

'Umm, _with what water_?' I asked, losing patience again.

'Why didn't you fetch some water from their pot?'

'You didn't give me time!' I yelled back, frustrated. 'You just yanked us out from there and I didn't even got to bring a little water!'

'Oh, so now it's _my_ fault? I am not a waterbender, in case you haven't noticed! So how was I supposed to know if you don't tell me?'

'How was I supposed to speak if the guards were a few meters away from us? And don't you dare blame me! I knocked the guard down, in case _you_ haven't noticed! You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for me!'

'EXACTLY!' he roared, his arms scalding next to mine. 'If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have fallen in the trap!'

'WHAT?' I roared myself now, burning with outrage. 'How is it _my_ fault that you fell in that trap?'

'You distracted me!'

'I was just trying to warn you! Maybe next time I'll just let you crack your head against a wall, so that way maybe you'll regain some sense! OW!' I yelled, as his hands suddenly burst in flames, searing me.

But as soon as the fire began, it stopped.

'You burned me!' I yelled at him, in pain and indignation.

'I'm sorry!' he apologized, lowering the tone of his voice. 'I just lost my temper'

'Yeah, I noticed' I replied bitterly. 'Argh! I need water!' I complained. The worst part was that I couldn't even move enough to see my hands or rub them against something.

'I think I saw a stream around here' Zuko said, and he dragged me again inside the forest, as I bit my lower lip, trying to hold back a moan. I was sure my hands were getting full of blisters.

'There it is!' Zuko said after a few minutes, and I could hear the relief in his voice, though I paid him little attention.

'I need to stand over the water' I said, and he dragged me a few meters more until I heard both our feet splashing on water. I quickly moved my wrists and pulled some water from the stream. The relief was instantaneous.

'Aahhh!' I sighed. 'That's better.' I gave myself a few minutes to enjoy the water cooling me down. 'Okay, let's see how I can release us now'

'Umm… I think you'll have to hurry up.' Zuko said, in a low voice.

'Why?'

'We've got company coming our way'

'Great' I snorted sarcastically. 'Can you firebend with your feet and keep them off?' As I said those words I could hear the noise of the Earthbenders approaching us very quickly.

'No. I'd have to jump, and I definitely can't firebend when I'm standing on water.'

'All right. Then we'll move out of the stream, and you'll have to lean on my back to jump, as I try to set us free' I suggested.

'Get ready' he warned me in a low voice. 'Here they come'

'Well, well, well, if it isn't the Fire Prince and his girlfriend' the voice of one of the Earthbenders said in a mocking tone behind me.

'She's _not_ my girlfriend!' Zuko replied, outraged.

'You sounded like a married couple arguing!' another firebender said, letting go a cackling laugh.

'Enough of this. We're taking you to Ba Sing Se, right now.' the eldest man said terminantly.

'Not if I can help it!' Zuko replied, and I prepared to receive his weight. He leaned over me and I heard the rustling sound of fire, as I felt the heat on the back of my legs. While he distracted them, I picked a tiny stream of water, and I began to run it from side to side of the rope, cutting it down. It was hard work, because the movements weren't easy, but it helped that Zuko and I had moved so much: the rope wasn't as tight as before, which allowed me to move my arms a little more, as I took on Zuko's weight.

'Hang on just a little further, I'm almost there!' I whispered at him after a minute, beads of sweat running down my forehead.

'I'm – trying – to block – their attacks!' he replied, each word followed by a blast of fire, according to what I heard.

'There!' I said, and as I did the rope fell down and I regained my arms and my body. In a single movement I turned around and whipped water at the Earthbender closest to me.

'Treason!' he yelled in surprise and anger. 'A waterbender working for the Fire Nation!'

'I have – no choice!' I replied, whipping him unconscious. Then I turned around and blocked an attack on Zuko's back, turning the water into ice shards and throwing them to the bender, pinning him down to the tree behind.

When I noticed, I was back to back with Zuko again, but this time my hands were free, and we stopped to stare at all five men knocked down or unable to fight, panting once more.

'Well, here we are, back to back again' I commented.

'Let's go' Zuko growled, and we took off to find Iroh.

'Wait!' I said, and I took a minute to form a heavy necklace of iceballs around my neck.

'Don't tell me you're making me wait so you can have a necklace!' Zuko said, losing the few patience he had left.

'Of course not! Can't you see? It's made of ice, and it'll do for when I need to waterbend and I don't have water' I pointed out as we started strolling away.

'Quick thinking' he nodded appreciatively. 'Doesn't it burn you?'

'No, because I'm a waterbender' I explained. 'Same as you. Fire doesn't burn you, does it?'

'Fire doesn't burn only some parts of our bodies, the ones we use for our bending, such as the hands or our feet' he explained. 'But if it lands somewhere else, like the legs, or the face, you do get burnt' he added darkly.

'Oh.' I said, noticing his mood had darkened because he had referred to his scar. 'Well, it's good to know' I smiled at him.

'Now, do you mind if we hurry up?' he inquired, sounding upset.

'I'll race you to the road!' I proposed, and we set off into the woods, stopping only to retrieve my daggers from the Earthbenders' camp.

* * *

A few hours later, after dawn had cleared, we were back on our rhinoceros, following Iroh's track. We had found his sandal –Zuko was sure it was his after he smelled it. The road displayed a clear set of ostrich footprints, which was a sign that we were on the right path after all, according to Zuko.

Far ahead of us I saw a cloud of dust and rocks falling over a hillside, and I raised my hand to point it out to Zuko.

'There!'

'That'll be the Earthbenders!' he replied enthusiastically.

'And Iroh!' I added, as I whipped my rhino, which I had decided to name Makku, to make him run faster.

But then, Zuko stopped dead in his tracks. I pulled the reigns and Makku stopped, groaning. I turned around and saw Zuko looking to the sky. When I followed his gaze I saw Appa flying above. My heart fell to my feet.

'The Avatar!'

'Prince Zuko, we can't abandon Iroh now. We're just a few miles away from him'

'You only say that because you don't want me to go after the Avatar' Zuko retorted drily. He thought for a second. 'We can split up!' he suggested.

'No, Zuko.' I said firmly, shaking my head. 'I said I'd help you in anything not related to capturing Aang, and if I let you leave I'll be helping you capture him. Besides, we don't know how many Earthbenders are there. I can't handle them all by myself.'

Zuko bit his lip, lost in thought.

'C'mon! What do you have to think? It's your uncle's life versus trying to capture a sneaky kid? You shouldn't even doubt it!' I pressed him.

He stared at me with his golden eyes, and I saw the confusion within them. But then, his gaze hardened as he made up his mind.

'You're right. We must release Uncle Iroh, first and foremost'

'Glad we're of a same mind' I replied with a smile, and I turned back and whipped Makku to start running.

A few minutes later, we heard voices, so we reduced our speed to avoid getting detected. We dismounted and tied the rhinos up to a tree, and we tiptoed towards the voices.

As we approached them, I could hear an unfamiliar voice speaking.

'…he must be dealt with immediately and severely'

I looked at Zuko in horror, and we launched ourselves in their circle. Zuko skillfully kicked a giant rock that was hovering in front of Iroh. The old man had his hands tied to a rock below, and they clearly had meant to crush his hands with the huge rock that Zuko kicked out of the way. Then he kicked the chains holding Iroh's hands, releasing him. I stared at him admiringly, as Iroh smiled.

'Excellent form, Prince Zuko' he congratulated his nephew.

'You taught me well' Zuko nodded curtly.

'Surrender yourselves!' the man with the biggest hat said, as I sided back to back with Iroh and Zuko. 'It's seven against three, you're clearly outnumbered!' he pointed out.

'Uh, that's true, but you're clearly outmatched!' Iroh replied, making me grin.

The seven Earthbenders threw their projectiles at us, and Iroh broke three of them with his chains, as Zuko melted two more. I transformed my frozen necklace into a whip of water and rejected the remaining two.

One of the Earthbenders pointed at me. 'She's a waterbender! And she's helping them!' and then he glared at me. 'You're a traitor to your Tribe and our Kingdom. This will not be ignored'.

I felt a twinge of guilt and hurt inside of me, and I hesitated for a split second. Then a cloud of dust exploded close to me, and I turned to find Iroh had stopped a stone glove from trapping me.

'Thanks, Iroh!'

'You're welcome, dear!'

Then I focused on the two benders in front of me. I drew ice shards and threw them at one of them, but he lifted a wall of rock and evaded them. Then I turned the shards into water and splashed the other bender down. As he rose to his feet I pinned him down to the tree behind with ice shards. As I turned back to the first bender I saw a huge rock coming my way, and I quickly dove to the ground, dodging it the same way I dodged Sokka's snowballs back at home. Then I jumped up and pulled out my daggers, because I had run out of water. I ran to the bender, dodging more rock projectiles, and with two quick slashes on his forearms he collapsed in pain, and as I ran past him I hit the base of the dagger on the back of his head and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

When I turned around, I saw a huge rock directed to Zuko, but before I could yell a warning, Iroh's chains caught the Earthbender's legs and the latter fell beneath his own rock.

As I approached Zuko and Iroh, we stared at the Earth Kingdom troop groaning in the dirt, and a sense of deep satisfaction filled me. The three of us exchanged glances as we smiled. Iroh looked at me and then at Zuko.

'Now, Prince Zuko, I thought you had forbidden our guest from leaving the ship'

Zuko and I exchanged meaningful glances. Should we tell him everything?

'Let's just say I proved to be useful,' I said raising my palms, 'as long as we cooperate to reach our goal'

'Is that true?' Iroh asked, but looking at Zuko only. I understood what he meant. Have _you_ cooperated with her?

'I've decided she can stay and help. A waterbender is useful after all' Zuko conceded after a minute, not looking at me but at the floor. And then he turned to Iroh, who was in rags. 'Now would you please put on some clothes!'

I giggled as we turned around to return to the ship.

* * *

**_Well, so what do you think? I hope you've had as much fun reading this chapter as I had writing it. _**

**_One brief aclaration: Kira's daggers are not like Mai's stilettos. They're about half as long as Zuko's katanas, and she wields them in a similar way, though she can also throw them, like she did on a previous chapter._**

**_Besides, I thought I may tell you that whenever I picture Kira's physical appearance, I think of Kaya Scodelario. She represents Kira perfectly in my imagination, only taking into account Kira is not tall. She is half a head shorter than Katara, and graceful as a ballerina in her every move. If you want to picture her moves, you might think of Alice from Twilight. _**

**_Also, what do you think of that Harry Potter mention? I had a lot of fun with that, and actually it's not the first reference I make. On the first chapter Zuko says one of Draco's classic lines._**

**_I may not be uploading immediately after this chapter... This weekend I may be quite busy with studying and making my parents think I have a life, but I'll try to upload on Monday. I mean, the story is written, but I have to edit it a little before uploading and it takes a little while :)_**

**_R&R!_**


	6. Spinning Out Of Control

**Chapter 6: Spinning Out Of Control.**

As soon as we reached the ship, Zuko ordered to follow Appa's trail. I rushed to his side.

'Please, Prince Zuko, let it rest! You don't understand the importance of the Avatar!' I pleaded.

'Go to your room!' he ordered as the only response, and I felt like crying, at seeing that his obsession still remained. Yet, if he could be obsessive, I'd be more obsessive.

'No!' I retorted, grabbing his forearm. 'Zuko, you have to listen to me!' But he snatched his arm from my grip and turned around to burn me with his furious eyes.

'I won't stop until you listen to me' I said defiantly.

'Then I'll have to lock you down' he replied, his voice silky but dangerous, as his eyes were on fire.

I turned to Iroh. 'Iroh, please, make him see sense!' But Iroh looked away from me, a sad expression in his dark eyes. My heart felt to my knees. I ran to him and grabbed his hands, trying to lock eyes with him. 'Iroh, please! You told me to trust you! You…' and my voice faltered as my eyes filled with tears at his betrayal.

I felt hands in my forearms, but I snatched my arms from them, trying to make Iroh look at me, but he kept looking down sadly. Then several hands grabbed me again and pulled me back.

'No! Noo!' I screamed in desperation, struggling against the soldiers. 'Iroh! Zuko! Please! I just helped you! Don't do this!'

But they dragged me down to my bedchamber, and Lieutenant Jee walked in as three other guards tried to hold me, since I kept kicking, punching, struggling and biting to free myself. Then Lieutenant Jee walked out, a sad look in his eyes.

'I'm sorry, Kira, but you leave us no choice' he said, and then the men threw me inside and locked the door.

'Noo!' I screamed, sobbing and banging the door. I kicked and punched at the door, screaming constantly. Then I tried to summon water from my window, but nothing happened. When I turned around I noticed they had shut the window. I ran to it and began to bang it with my hands after I failed to open it, to no avail. Then I grabbed the drawer of the night-table and jammed it at the window, but it only broke to shards in my hands. In between, I could hear the men shouting orders, and I guessed we were finally on the trail of Aang.

When I finally became aware that I was locked in there with no hopes of getting out anytime soon, the world became a blur through my blotchy eyes, and I felt an intense wave of rage and frustration rising up from my stomach, such as I'd never felt before. A little part of my mind panicked when I realized I was about to lose control completely. When the wave reached my head I heard a wild, almost inhuman scream come out of my lips, and my hands were pulling from my hair.

* * *

I can't remember exactly what happened, but I remember I opened my eyes the next day to find I was curled up in a ball in a corner of the room, and I saw the entire bedroom shred to pieces. I sat up, gaping at the disaster spread all over the room.

All that remained from the night-table was four torn pieces of wood attached to the ground, and the bed was standing over the door, its feet completely ripped apart. From the looks of it, I had banged the bed against the door, but I couldn't remember doing it. The room was covered in shards of wood and feathers, because all that remained from the mattress was a large piece of cloth that was partly inside the chimney.

When I saw all that mess, and it finally sunk in that it had been me who had done all that, I looked at myself, checking for injuries. It was a scary look. My arms and legs were covered in blood from dozens of small cuts where the wood splinters had sunk in my skin, and my fists were purple from the bruises. I raised one hand to touch my face and I noticed large scratches where I had obviously sank my nails in my cheeks in sheer despair –or madness.

I crawled back until my back was against the wall, still staring dumbfounded at how I had trashed everything. Shivers began to run down my spine, and I began to sob again, horrified at what had just happened. What had happened to me? How could I have lost control like that? I had always considered myself a calm person, someone who thought things through, someone who planned. I admitted that I was a little hot-headed and that sometimes my pride stood before planning, but that didn't mean I was mad. Deranged.

Spirits, how did this happen? I sunk my face between my hands, as I sobbed uncontrollably. Zuko, no, Iroh had done this to me. But I had done this to myself, too. Iroh had betrayed me, and I had allowed myself to cross the line, to lose control.

In that moment I looked up, to the skies that I couldn't see, and I made a promise, a promise to myself. I would never allow myself to lose control again. Never. It was scary. I was scary, and I didn't want to be that person. I didn't. I wouldn't be. I wouldn't let it happen.

After a while my sobs ceased, and I felt a little calmer. I closed my eyes and tried to pay attention to the movements of the ship, to see what I had missed. I couldn't hear much, and the engines were actually not working, so I guessed Zuko and Iroh had gone off to land to find Aang, Katara and Sokka.

I felt tears rolling down my cheek again when I remembered Iroh's betrayal. A deep pain in my chest made me begin to hiccup, and I had to force myself to think of something else, to refrain my thoughts from going where I didn't want.

I waited patiently all day, just like when I was locked in the cell, sitting down against the wall, hugging my knees, hoping Iroh would come, so I could yell at him for what he'd done to me. Yelling was not losing control. But night arrived and there was no visit. I didn't even hear soldiers outside my room. The ship sounded strangely silent and still with no men onboard.

I spent the night curled up in a ball again. When I woke up the next morning, the ship sounded as silent as the day before. I began to wonder what was happening and how many days had passed since we had gone to fetch Iroh. My madness period had seemed to last one day, but now I wasn't sure. I walked to my windowsill and sat there staring at the ocean, weeping silently again at the loss of everything I had loved. My family, my home, my freedom, my Tribe. And when I thought I had won a friend, he betrayed me and locked me here again. For the first time since being locked in there I took my hand to my back to feel the daggers – I wanted to be ready – but of course, they weren't there.

By nightfall my mind had started to drift over to the same questions: What was taking them this long? What happened? What day is it? Why has nobody come to see me yet?

But after sunset, when I was already curled up in a ball and waiting for some sleep that would hardly come, I heard some clanking on the door, and then it banged against the bed.

'Kira?' Iroh's voice sounded behind the door. I stood up, stumbling over. I suddenly noticed I felt incredibly weak. My heart began to beat faster as rage bubbled up inside of me, but I breathed deep to get a hold of myself. I answered in the coldest voice I had.

'Iroh, turn around and leave, now, if you don't want me to hurt you'

'Kira, we should talk'

'I don't talk to TRAITORS!' I bellowed, feeling the rage grow. _Now hold up, Kira. You can't lose control_.

'Kira, please, open the door'

'I can't' I answered earnestly. 'The bed is over the door and I don't know how to remove it from there.'

'The bed is…?' Iroh asked, his voice raising in disbelief. If I closed my eyes I could see his eyebrows raising too.

I heard him sigh.

'We haven't captured the Avatar'

I bit my lip, in silence. It was relieving to know that, but I was still really upset at everyone. A part of me just wanted him to come in and see the damage I had done, the damage he'd done to me, and that I would really stop at nothing to ensure Aang's freedom, but I knew I was weak to his presence because he had become something of a father to me in these weeks. I knew that if I let him in, and look at me, I'd probably collapse again.

'Go. Away.' I repeated, my voice cracking.

'At least will you let somebody in to give you something to eat? I know you haven't eaten or drunk anything in days'

_Days?_ Oh spirits, it was worse than I had thought. No wonder I felt weak as a baby.

'Kira?'

'Open the door, Iroh, and I will escape' I warned him.

I heard him sigh again, and give orders to somebody at the other side of the wall. I curled up in a ball again, and tried to get over the pain for his betrayal with hard thinking on how to get out. I just had to wait until they opened the door and I would run outside. It didn't matter anymore that we were on open ocean, or that the ship was full of firebenders. I just had to get out and go away from them, no matter how.

While thinking this, I must have fell asleep, because I woke up the next morning in a different room, with a sealed window, but also with a new bed, new night-table and a Fire Nation flag hanging over the chimney.

I jumped up and ran to the door, banging it again, and when I looked at my arms I saw they were all bandaged up. When I checked the rest of my body I saw my legs had been bandaged too, but my face remained bandage-free.

'Hey! Heeey! I want the bathroom!' I shouted, banging at the door, but there was no answer. Paying attention to the sounds of the ship, I noticed there was no one outside, but the engines were roaring hard, which meant that we were on open ocean. My hand fell for the first time on the door knob, and I noticed with surprise that the door was open.

I opened it softly, trying to avoid making a single sound, and peeked out at the hall, but it was empty. I started walking it down, trying to find a way out, but I didn't run into anyone. It was particularly surprising because I kept bumping against the walls, stumbling ahead like a drunk man, because after days of not consuming anything I felt horribly weak.

The situation was getting stranger by the second.

When I finally reached deck, I was dazzled by the sunlight and the sudden breeze, and I covered my face with my arm as I stumbled backwards.

'Kira!' Iroh's voice said pleasantly nearby, but I ignored him and ran straight to the railing, aiming to jump down.

A strong arm surrounded my waist before I could jump.

'No! Let go of me!' I screamed as I twitched and struggled, only to be faced by Zuko's golden eyes. Then my despair gave in to cold determination.

'Let. Me. Go.' I said in a cold hiss, my rage clear in my voice and eyes. Zuko's eyes widened at detecting the amount of anger and hatred that I had grown in those days locked down, but his grip remained firm.

'If you jump down you'll drown. We're in the middle of the sea' he replied coldly.

'Kira, please' Iroh's voice said nearby.

'YOU!' My rage turned against him, and I turned around to talk to him, Zuko's arms still around my waist, as I pointed an accusatory finger at him. 'Don't you dare to talk to me, you traitor!' Iroh seemed sad and upset at my accusations, but not afraid or surprised like Zuko. 'You lure me in here with promises, I trust you, you teach me, and treat me like a father, and then you stab a knife in my back! When I needed you the most, you failed me!' I accused him, tears rolling down my cheeks.

'Kira, I'm so sorry…'

'No you're not!' I yelled back, and I shoved Zuko's arms away as I stumbled towards him. 'You are from the Fire Nation, and you want to capture the Avatar! You can't make me believe you're sorry for locking me down at the moment when I could actually do something!'

And at that moment I collapsed on my knees, burying my face in my hands. The deck was silent as a grave. My sobs were the only audible sound over the roar of the engines, and I could feel the eyes of all the men on deck over me. Only then I looked down and realized I was wearing nothing but a very short silk white dress as pajama and my bandages, and I realized how pathetic I must be looking like.

I stood up and rubbed the tears off my face, composing myself and trying to stand still in spite of my trembling knees, and as the wind blew around my loosened black hair, I shot Iroh a killing look.

'You'll have to kill me to stop me. If you do that to me ever again, I shall kill you both at the first chance I have' I announced.

Iroh still looked sad, but everyone else on deck was stunned to hear my words. I had become their pet in the last weeks, in fact, and now I was standing here, weak and hurt after a manic attack, threatening to kill the boss.

'Kira, you're not thinking straight. You need to rest' Iroh's calming voice said, as he stepped towards me with his palms up.

My fists were clenched at my sides as I hissed the next words through gritted teeth.

'I don't need anything from you, Iroh. I don't need your sympathy or your friendship. There is one reason why I'm on this ship, and that is to make sure my Tribe won't get hurt, and that you don't capture Aang. And I'll do that, no matter what it costs.' and with those words I walked towards my hatch, aiming for my bedroom, trying to leave with a bit of dignity left, but suddenly a sharp pain in my right leg caused my knees to give way, and I stumbled forward again. Zuko's arms prevented my face from smacking against the ground, again. I glared at him, furious at my own weakness and at the fact that I felt so vulnerable between his strong muscled arms.

His golden eyes were looking at me with a mix of concern, pity and rage.

'Get off me!' I said, and I tried to stand for myself, which took me two attempts. I turned to face him. 'Beware, Prince Zuko. Watch your back, because if you are intent on this you might find a knife on it one of these days' I menaced, pointing at him with my finger.

'Please!' he replied with disdain. 'In your condition you can't stab anyone. Besides, you don't understand…'

'I understand we're enemies from now on' I declared, and he fell silent, looking at me with expressionless eyes.

In everyone's plain view, I stumbled back to my hatch and somehow dragged myself back to the room that I had left. Iroh had a point. My body was sore from sleeping on the ground, my arms and legs had multiple cuts and my face was probably still sullen from all that crying, not to mention the weakness and the fact that I couldn't refrain from shivering violently after the effort of climbing to deck. I did need rest. But as soon as I got better, I'd remind them who I was. They would have to watch their backs.

* * *

A few days passed and my anger began to recede, like my bruises and cuts, as I locked myself voluntarily on my bedchamber and refused to let anyone in but the man that brought my food. By having someone open the window, I got to feel the breeze of the sea. I sat on my windowsill for hours, thinking hard.

After a single day I realized my posture had been stupid. For good or bad I was trapped in here with Prince Zuko and Iroh, and I couldn't just run away to help Aang and my family. I wasn't going to give up on the Avatar, but I couldn't just stay away from Iroh and Zuko, it wasn't a smart move.

First of all, I remained ignorant of what had happened with Aang and my friends while I was locked down, and I needed to know in order to plan my next move. Secondly, having the crew and everyone like me had been a strategic move. I depended on them for food and information after all. I remembered my initial plan, of getting them to trust me so I could run away. I had trashed that plan along with my previous room. Thirdly, if I wanted to stop Zuko I had to become his "friend", in a way. Strategy dictated I had to return to my old habits. And I _needed_ to regain control of my life. That was the most important thing.

But my heart refused to forgive.

Iroh was persistent, though. He knocked on my door every day at sunset, and I would always kick him out. After a week and a half, though, I decided my need of information was more important than the pain it caused me to see his face.

So that night I allowed him in. He was carrying the kettle with tea, the cups and the Pai Sho board, as usual.

'Thank you, Kira, for letting me in' he said as soon as he entered, bowing to me. I ignored him and went to sit on my windowsill.

'I miss our games of Pai Sho, and the cook misses his assistant'

I stubbornly watched out the window, ignoring him.

'Will you have a cup of tea with me?'

Again I did not respond, but because I knew he wouldn't give in until he had actually prepared the tea. He handed me a cup, and I took it without looking at him, but I did not drink.

'I'm guessing you'd like some information'

Silence.

'Well, I'll tell you what happened. First off, after Zuko and you rescued me, Zuko sailed straight into Fire Nation territory.' I was looking out the window, acting uninterested, but both of us knew I was listening intently. 'Zhao was blocking the way, but at the last minute he let Zuko in. He was probably hoping my nephew would lead him to the Avatar, which indeed happened. Zuko directed us to Avatar Roku's Island. Avatar Roku was the Avatar previous to the airbender' he added this last piece of information as to indicate me the probable reason why Aang had gone to that dangerous place. _He needs some advice and he was seeking to learn from his predecessor_, I guessed.

'There, Zuko found the Avatar, and Zhao and Zuko would have caught him if he hadn't impersonated Avatar Roku himself, causing the volcano to erupt'

Spirits, Aang had done that? He was much more powerful than he seemed, then.

'We had to escape from there with Zhao at our trail, but he abandoned the chase when we left Fire Nation waters. Then I had the ship turn around because I couldn't find one of my Pai Sho tiles, and we happened to find the Avatar and his friends' trail at a pirate ship. They led us to the girl…'

_Katara! _

'…and Prince Zuko used her as bait to catch the Avatar. But then the Tribe boy persuaded the pirates to keep the Avatar, in order to sell him to someone else, and thus my nephew was betrayed'

Yeah, that definitely sounded like Sokka's quick thinking.

'Then we returned to the ship, with no Avatar nor tile, for when I found it at my sleeve Zuko was so furious that he tossed it away' he finished with a pout.

I remained silent, thinking over this new information. Did it change anything from my plan? No, probably not, because fortunately the gang hadn't been caught.

'We were worried about you' Iroh added in a soft voice, looking into his cup of tea. I glared at him, biting back an angry retort. 'When the men opened the door and I saw what you'd done to the room…' he shook his head sadly '… I understood what we had done to you.'

I stared out the window, trying to steady myself, as I felt my eyes go watery. I couldn't give in to feelings, not now.

'And your arms and legs… covered in blood. Prince Zuko was genuinely scared. I guess he had got used to the idea of you being more a guest on the ship than a prisoner, and you reminded him how much prison hurts people' he finished darkly.

I continued looking out the window, in silence, but I felt a tear rolling down my cheek, as I remembered how it had scared the shit out of me, too. I quickly rubbed the tear, angry with myself. I couldn't afford emotional weakness now.

Iroh stood up and walked towards me.

'Maybe I should tell you Prince Zuko's story. That would help you understand why he is so intent on capturing the Avatar…'

'I don't want to know anything about him.' I snapped back coldly, not looking at him. 'I don't care.'

Iroh ducked his head.

'Very well. I will leave now. Remember you're still free onboard. I shall come by tomorrow at the same time'. And with those words, he bowed to me again and left through the door.

* * *

_**A/N: Okay, so what do you guys think about this nervous breakdown thing? At first I came up with it just as an excuse to keep her out of sight during the Winter Solstice episodes and The Waterbending Scroll, but on retrospective, I think it tells us more about Kira and what happens when she completely loses control over her life. But I'd love some feedback on it!**_

_**And again, if you spotted any mistakes, feel free to let me know. Thanks to both my reviewers, CrazyCreator33 and Melikecake! The next chapter shouldn't take too long to get updated :)**_


	7. Thunder and Tea

**Chapter 7: Thunder and Tea**

The following days became a copy of the first ones I had lived on Prince Zuko's ship. Iroh came every day and talked to me about the things happening on the ship, and he told me more stories, trying to regain my trust. And, knowing that I had to regain _his_ trust, I slowly began to recede. But inside of me I knew that it wasn't the same, because now I had suffered for his betrayal, and I didn't really trust him. Something had broken between us that day when I had begged him, screaming, to help me and he had looked away. It was obvious: He had had to choose between Zuko and me, and he had chosen Zuko.

With Zuko, on the other hand, I was not angry. He had shown me his true nature from the start, and I had been a fool to believe he'd change from one day to the next, just because we had shared a dangerous adventure. But in this case the mistake was mine, not his. I overestimated him, and I had paid the price.

Eventually I began to go out of my chamber, and walk around the ship. The men didn't look at me like before, I could hear them whispering behind my back. I knew I had freaked everybody out with my manic attack, but I didn't care about being friends with the crew now. I mean, it was good for my plan to befriend them, but at this point I simply didn't feel like fighting to gain their trust again. The cook, of course, was the first one to accept me back in, and Lieutenant Jee was the next.

One morning I went out to the deck, and I saw Prince Zuko, scanning the horizon with a spyglass. Then Iroh came out from the latch behind him and I walked away; I didn't feel like talking to Iroh today, at least until sunset.

'There's a storm coming. A big one' Iroh told Zuko, pointing at the Northern skies ahead of us. I followed his gaze. The skies looked clear, but the air felt dense and hot, and it smelled of storm. I'd had years of detecting storms on the sea back on the Water Tribe. Maybe it was because I was a waterbender, but I had always had a knack for knowing when a storm was coming.

Prince Zuko, on the other hand, lacked the capacity to see beyond his own nose. 'You're out of your mind, Uncle. The weather's perfect. There is not a cloud in sight'

'The storm is approaching from the north' Iroh insisted. 'I suggest we alter our course and head southwest'

'We know the Avatar is travelling northward, so we will do the same' Zuko replied stubbornly.

'Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew' Iroh said, raising his eyebrows.

'The safety of the crew doesn't matter!' was the response he got.

I was about to approach Zuko to say something –after all I was on that ship too– but Lieutenant Jee was behind him and he grimaced, having overheard the Prince. Zuko turned around and faced Lieutenant Jee defiantly.

'Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individual's safety'

And before I could say anything, he strolled past the elder men and entered the hallway to his bedchamber, rudely slamming the hatch behind him. Iroh approached the Lieutenant.

'He doesn't mean that, he's just all worked up'

_Typical of Iroh, trying to make everyone like his nephew._

I wandered off to my chamber to have some lunch. But the storm was worrying me. It felt like a big storm, one that could threaten even a ship as big as Zuko's. Later that day I walked up to deck again, and I gasped when I saw the thick line of black clouds ahead of us. It was clearly going to be one of _those_ storms.

Zuko was already on deck, looking at the storm with a concerned expression on his face. Behind him, Lieutenant Jee stared at him with rage.

'Looks like your uncle was right about the storm after all' he pointed out.

Iroh appeared at that precise moment from the other side of the ship. 'Lucky guess' he smiled.

But Prince Zuko wasn't a man to let things pass. 'Lieutenant, you'd better learn some respect' he threatened the older man, poking at him with two fingers. 'Or I will teach it to you'.

Then he walked away. But Lieutenant Jee was a proud man as well, and being ordered around by a spoiled teenager, even if it was a prince, was obviously something he could not tolerate. 'What do you know about respect?' he sneered. 'The way you talk to everyone around here, from you hard working crew, to your prisoner and your esteemed uncle shows you know nothing about respect. You don't care about anyone but yourself! Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?'

I gaped at him. Those could have been my words! In fact, it was almost as if he had read my mind.

But Zuko had stopped by mid-speech, and now he turned around and assumed his firebending stance, furious at the accusations. Lieutenant Jee imitated him without hesitation. Iroh raised his hands, trying to calm them down.

'Easy now…'

But the sparring men paid him no attention as they crossed wrists, in a typical beginning of a duel, as I had learned in the past weeks. Iroh stood between them and broke their wrists apart, looking at both men in turn.

'Enough! We are all a bit tired from being at sea so long. I'm sure after a bowl of noodles everyone will feel much better'

Prince Zuko and Lieutenant Jee glared at each other a few more seconds and then they broke apart, following Iroh's advice.

'I don't need your help keeping order on my ship' Zuko snapped at Iroh before heading to the bow of the ship, shoving off Iroh's calming hand on his shoulder.

I followed Zuko with my gaze, and then I looked back at the storm. It was getting worse by the second. In a few hours the worst part of it would be over us. I decided to return to my chamber, where I tried to have a short nap, but the ship started to rock back and forth and I could not sleep.

I covered my shoulders with a blanket to stay warm, and sneaked out of my bedchamber. I wandered around a little until I overheard a conversation between the men from an ajar door. I tiptoed closer and I got to hear Lieutenant Jee, going off about Prince Zuko.

'I'm sick of taking his orders and I'm tired of chasing his Avatar!' he complained aloud. 'I mean, who does Zuko think he is?'

I almost fell back in shock when I heard Iroh's voice, very close to me, but inside the chamber.

'Do you really want to know?'

'General Iroh!' It sounded like several men stood up to greet the old man. 'We were just–'

'It's ok' Iroh cut him quickly. 'May I join you?'

'Of course, sir!'

I waited impatiently for something interesting to happen. And then Iroh's voice began to talk.

'Try to understand, my nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much... First off, he lost his mother at a very sweet age, and his rivalry with his sister Azula marked him. When he was thirteen, he was a proud teenager, and he wanted to take part on the war councils. The Fire Lord never allowed him in, but Zuko's arrogance and natural determination pushed him to keep trying. One time, I was about to walk in the room when I saw him, demanding the guards to let him in…'

I could almost see it: A kid who believed himself an adult, trying to be important and to excel at something, to differentiate himself from his sister. With a shiver I realized I was putting Sokka's face to the image. I shook my head quickly to get rid of the disturbing picture and continued to listen to Iroh's hypnotic story.

'I tried to convince him the meetings were not important and boring, but he wouldn't listen. He wanted to learn, experience the sense of leadership.' Iroh sighed. 'I allowed him in, just for that time, but I warned him he should stay silent, and he promised to do so.'

'The plan the Firelord and the Generals were talking about was a plan to attack the Earth Kingdom. One of the generals suggested to send a division of new recruits to a suicide mission as a distraction. Zuko then jumped up, outraged at the man's insensibility, and reminded him of the soldiers' sacrifice for the country.'

'Zuko was right, you see, but it was not his place to speak out, and there were… dire consequences. After Zuko's outburst in the meeting, the Fire Lord became very angry with him. He said that Prince Zuko's challenge of the general was an act of complete disrespect, and there was only one way to resolve this…'

'Agni kai. A fire duel' Lieutenant Jee said, horrified. I gasped outside the chamber. An agni kai? A thirteen-year-old versus an experienced General? In my mind it seemed as if a younger Sokka had to face an angry and cruel Zhao.

'That's right' Iroh confirmed. 'Zuko looked upon the old general he had insulted and declared that he was not afraid' _Typical of Zuko._ 'But Zuko misunderstood. When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the General. Zuko had spoken out against a general's plan, but by doing so in the Firelord's war room, it was the Firelord whom he had disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father'

I took my hands to my mouth to muffle a scream of horror. How twisted and cruel you had to be to duel your own son? How ridiculously perverted were the laws in this country that I was being taken to? I couldn't help but keep listening, both fascinated and repulsed by the dreadful story.

'When Prince Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to duel him, he begged for mercy…' In my mind I was watching the young Zuko plead to his father on his knees, having to toss away his pride because of the love he obviously professed for his father. If Zuko was like I pictured him, he wouldn't have wanted to fight the Fire Lord, both because he could never win, and also because he loved his father dearly and he did not want to battle him. In spite of myself I felt my eyes welling with tears at the dramatic image on my mind.

'I looked away' Iroh finished with a slightly shaky voice, and I felt a tear rolling down my cheek, for young Zuko's sudden loss of innocence.

'I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident…' Lieutenant Jee said in a soft voice, clearly still horrified from the story.

'It was no accident' Iroh continued. 'After the duel, the Firelord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honor'

Lieutenant Jee voiced my thoughts. 'So that's why he's so obsessed. Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal'

'Things will never return to normal' Iroh said sadly. 'But the important thing is, the Avatar gives Zuko hope'.

And then I suddenly felt a warm hand on my shoulder. I flinched and turned around sharply, only to find Prince Zuko's golden eyes staring at me.

'What are you doing here?'

* * *

**_**Zuko's POV**_**

Prince Zuko was strolling down to deck, concerned about the storm, when he spotted a small figure covered with a blanket peeking through a door on a hallway to his right.

Curious, he walked towards the figure, and when he was closer he recognized Kira's black hair. What was she doing there?

He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she started. Then she turned around and looked at him with an innocent expression in her blue eyes.

'What are you doing here?' he demanded.

'Umm…' she hesitated for a split second, as her eyes flickered around. 'I was looking for you, actually'

'For me?' Zuko widened his eyes in surprise. 'What for?'

'Umm… I… I wanted to invite you over to my bedchamber for a cup of tea'

He raised his eyebrows in disbelief. 'Tea? In the middle of a dangerous storm?'

'Precisely' she said firmly. 'I don't like to be alone and I can't find Iroh anywhere'

Zuko hesitated for a moment. Why would Kira want his company? She had made it clear that she hated him for locking her down. The memory of the rage and hatred in her blue eyes when she had woken up from the attack was clear as water in his mind.

But she gave a few steps on the direction of her bedchamber and turned her head to look at him, expectant. Zuko followed her, though he had a feeling she wasn't being entirely honest.

This girl was the most intriguing person Zuko had ever met. She was stubborn, and he could understand that, and she was also cunning, and strong. Yet, she was just a teenage girl, and she could be vulnerable too. More than once Zuko had caught himself wondering what could possibly be going through her mind.

Then she turned around a corner, and Zuko stopped, confused. Her chamber was the other way around… Oh, no, he had forgotten that she had been moved. He followed her to her new chamber, as he mulled over the events of a few days ago…

Zuko was extremely upset because he had failed to capture the Avatar again, and he ignored the guard's report that loud screams and bumps could be heard coming from Kira's cabin. He had assumed she was just trying to draw attention to herself, and Zuko had more important things to think about. Kira was the least of his problems.

And then that day Uncle Iroh had walked in his bedchamber, his face pale, reporting that Kira had locked herself and she wouldn't allow anyone in. Iroh was worried because she hadn't eaten anything in days. Zuko had huffed, sure that the girl was simply trying to give trouble, and followed Iroh to her bedchamber.

But big was his surprise when the men finally managed to knock the bed apart and they could enter the wrecked bedchamber. There were splinters of wood everywhere, and the soldiers and himself stopped at the gate, gaping at the mess she had made. How could the small Kira have lifted the bed, and torn the night table apart? It was unbelievable.

And she herself was curled up in a ball in a corner of the room, unconscious and covered in blood. Zuko had felt shivers running down his back, and he rushed to her side to make sure she was alive. Her pulse was weak, but she was alive. He had scooped her, and taken her to the infirmary, and he could still remember the feel of her fragile body in his arms, how small and vulnerable she seemed.

How odd, that the strong girl that a few days ago knocked two Earthbenders on her own, the girl that with her waterbending had knocked down several of Zuko's own men when she sparred, was now nothing but this light teenager he was carrying in his arms.

Kira was an enigma to him, and he was not sure he liked that.

The doctor had said that her wounds were not grave, mostly cuts from the splinters of wood from the night table and scratches. But he was more concerned about her overall weakness after days of starvation. She spent one day in the infirmary and then the doctor said it was safe to move her to another chamber.

Iroh and Zuko were especially worried about her motives to do this. Listening to the report of the guards Zuko had assigned her, they understood she had suffered a nervous breakdown, and Iroh blamed himself for it. Zuko let him take the blame, of course. He had to chase the Avatar, and Iroh was responsible for Kira, he had made that clear to his Uncle.

But the whole situation had reminded him how fragile she was after all. And, even though he hated it, he did feel a little guilty about it.

And then she had appeared stumbling on deck, with that light walking of hers, and that incredible amount of anger for such a helpless person. If Zuko hadn't been so worried, he might even have laughed at her, which would have made everything worse, obviously.

And then she had pierced him with her blue eyes and threatened his life. Had it been anybody else, he would have had them locked down for a week, but it was Kira, and Zuko simply couldn't find it in him to do so.

He hadn't been to visit her, like Iroh had insisted on, because he remembered the hatred in her eyes, and he somehow sensed she was trouble. Zuko didn't want to have anything to do with her, but for some reason he did not understand, he found her fascinating.

She opened the door to her chamber and they walked in. Zuko stepped in front of the window, feeling uncomfortable. He could listen to her as she lit the fire in the chimney and set the kettle.

'I'm sorry' he blurted out before he could stop himself. _Stupid Zuko, what was that for?_ He turned around, and he found Kira's blue eyes staring at him, looking confused. She approached him and placed the cup of tea between his hands, now a hint of curiosity brightening up her eyes.

'For what?' she asked in a soft voice.

Zuko tried to swallow the sudden lump on his throat. How could she make him feel so unlike himself, so... insecure? His finger traced a line over her arm, following the tiny scars. 'I saw how you left the room, and the blood covering your arms…' His voice faltered, as he tried to get a grip of himself.

Zuko turned around and walked to the chimney, holding the warm cup of tea in his hands. It was easier to speak if he wasn't looking at her.

'But you must understand, capturing the Avatar is the only way of regaining my honor'

Zuko expected her to yell at him, or to try to change his mind, and he was ready for that. But he wasn't ready for her answer. After a few seconds of silence, her voice sounded behind him, in a whisper, barely audible.

'Believe it or not, I do understand'

Zuko turned around, surprised, and Kira was looking down, into her cup, her hands holding it next to her chest. Zuko had a sudden suspicion, and he strolled towards her and grabbed her forearm, needing to know.

'What do you mean?' he demanded roughly.

She fixed her blue eyes on his, so pure that they were almost transparent, and she was honest with him, he could see it. 'I mean, I _know_', she said meaningfully.

Zuko gritted his teeth and looked away, feeling his anger rise again inside of him. 'Uncle told you' he hissed.

'If I said that, I'd be lying' she replied firmly, and he didn't need to look at her this time to know she was telling the truth. 'But that's not the important thing, Zuko' she added.

He refrained from flinching at hearing her say his name. This was getting too far. It was not fair that she had such a mysterious effect on him, and it was even more unfair that she should know of his past. 'I think I should leave' he hissed again through gritted teeth, as he turned to the chimney once more.

'And I think you should stay' she contradicted him calmly. 'Have I ever told you my story?'

Zuko turned around to look at her, surprised. 'I didn't know there was a story to tell'

Kira sighed, and she sat on the ground, her back against her bed, and she motioned Zuko to sit on the mat beside the chimney. Zuko hesitated for a moment. He hated being told what to do, specially by Kira, but he decided he had nothing to lose, and perhaps his Uncle was right. Perhaps getting to know something more about her wouldn't hurt. He sat down on the mat and sipped his tea, which was actually good. Uncle must have taught her, he thought, chuckling in his mind.

'Well, I guess I should begin by saying that I don't really have a home' she began. Zuko opened his mouth to ask what she meant, but then he closed it, deciding to let her tell her story in her own way.

'My first memory is of waking up inside a hut in the Southern Water Tribe, and seeing Sokka's face over me…'

'The Water Tribe boy that hangs with the Avatar?' Zuko asked, and Kira nodded, staring into her cup again. It seemed as if telling the story was slightly uncomfortable for her, but she was forcing herself to do it anyway. Zuko couldn't help but wonder why.

'Gran Gran says he was fishing out on his first fishing trip with his father Hakoda, when he spotted something dark over an iceberg. The young nine-year-old Sokka oared all the way to the iceberg, thinking it was a dead seal. But what he found instead was me.'

Zuko could almost picture it on his mind: The boy, happy after getting his first prey, and his surprise when he saw it was actually an unconscious girl. Zuko wondered if she looked as fragile as she had when he was carrying her on his arms, but then he shook his head to get rid of that thought. Kira was stronger than she looked, and she knew how to take care of herself.

'Gran Gran always comments on her surprise when Hakoda took me to her; when she examined me, she saw I was alive. Almost drowned and with a severe case of hypothermia, but alive. She healed all my injuries, and they all waited long days for me to wake up and give them some information about myself. But when I woke up, all I knew was that my name was Kira… and I have no further memory than that.'

Zuko widened his eyes in disbelief. 'But you don't remember… anything of your past life?'

She shook her head sadly, and Zuko suddenly thought that this might be the first time she told someone her story.

'It's funny, because I don't really know who I am or where I came from. I don't even know my age' she admitted, looking down at her twiddling thumbs. 'Gran Gran guessed I was about eight when I arrived, and we celebrate my birthday on the anniversary of the day they found me, but I don't know for sure. I don't even know if I had a family.'

'Gran Gran's theory is that I am from the Northern Water Tribe, and that for some reason I was travelling with my family down to the South Pole when something happened to the ship we were travelling in. Probably the Fire Navy. She thinks I was the only survivor because I am a waterbender'

'And did they find any clue about you, or where you came from?' Zuko asked, fascinated by her story in spite of himself.

'Nope. I've always wanted to go to the Northern Water Tribe to see if that triggers any memory, or something. The only clue I have so far is my bending. Before you appeared in my life I had never really waterbended anything, but at that moment I just… somehow knew exactly what to do. It was weird.' she confessed.

'Yeah, because you wet me to the bone, if I remember correctly' Zuko said, frowning and remembering his surprise when she had attacked him.

'Ever since, my waterbending has gotten better and better. It's like instead of learning the moves I'm remembering them.' she added. 'But other than that, my true identity remains a mystery, even to myself. Sometimes I wonder if I had a family. A mother, father, perhaps even siblings. But if they existed, they are now far away from this world. I always say the Southern Water Tribe is my home, because Hakoda, Sokka and Katara adopted me and served as family, but the truth is, I don't have a home' Kira finished, as she hugged her legs.

Zuko observed her for a few seconds, and only one question remained in his mind. 'Why are you telling me this?'

She fixed her blue eyes on him. 'Because I want you to understand me. I had always felt like my life had no purpose. That something had broken in my fate and I'd be stuck down there in the South Pole fishing for my entire life. And then Aang arrived and my life suddenly took on meaning. When I jumped between him and you, I realized this is why I was there. My fate is to protect the Avatar somehow, Zuko. I just know it. He gave me hope. Hope that I would follow him around the world and I could find out my real identity'

Zuko frowned as he stared at her. He understood… he thought. Hope was something he could relate to, as well. But that wouldn't make him change his mind.

'When you captured me, I thought the Fire Nation had stolen my destiny from my hands once again. But I know better now. Maybe I'm not destined to travel with the Avatar but with you. Staying with you is the best way in which I can protect him' she continued.

And then she leaned over him and grabbed his hand with her small cold hand, and she stared into his eyes, blue meeting gold, her eyes pleading. Zuko felt something stirring inside of him, and he didn't like the feeling. He was uncomfortable.

'Zuko, I understand that the only way in which you can regain your honor, your family and your life is by capturing the Avatar, and I respect that. But please, please understand that for me, stopping you is the only way of regaining my destiny, my identity and my hope' she begged him, her eyes filling with tears again.

Zuko began to feel upset. Why did she think she could change his mind? What made her think she was so important? Why did she make him feel guilty? He looked away, anger bubbling up inside of him. And still, she didn't give up.

'We're on opposite sides, Prince Zuko. But we don't have to be enemies. Not all the time, at least'

And then she retreated and she sat back at her spot, and Zuko had to hold back a sigh of relief. Why did she make him so uncomfortable? She was just a girl! And she was his prisoner! Why did he react this way to her?

'I have to go now', he said, risking a glance into those blue ponds. But she looked down dejectedly.

'If you must' she whispered, almost admitting defeat, and she didn't look up to watch him leave.

* * *

_****Kira's POV****_

I remained at my place after Zuko left, thinking over the events. I was shocked to finally understand his reasons, and the only way I could think of to get him away from the chamber where Iroh and the men were still discussing him was to drag him to my own chamber. And then I don't know what prompted me to tell him my story, but it seemed only proper that he should know more about me when I had just found out everything about him. His golden eyes fixed on mine had made me feel safe, even though the situation was uncomfortable. His presence seemed to warm the room up, and his calm attention somehow smoothed out my nervousness.

I felt really sorry for him, and I saw in his eyes that he understood me, too. I wished we could just get along, but he had strolled away, refusing to listen to me, acting like stubborn Zuko once more.

Some time later, it could have been minutes or hours, the ship rocked really hard on starboard and a blow reverberated all over the ship. I jumped up and ran to deck, determined to help.

When I came out I found a terrible sight. We were on the worst part of the storm, and the gigantic waves were threatening to turn the ship around. Some waves splashed the deck every now and then, and the men running on deck were soaking wet from the pouring rain.

I ran to the middle of the deck and began waterbending, to prevent a huge wave from washing all men from deck.

Zuko came running out the hatch, and stood at my side. I glared at him.

'You and your storm!' I spat at him, half angrily, half jokingly, beads of sweat running down my forehead from the strain of containing such a huge storm from throwing the men off deck.

'Thanks' Zuko replied in a low voice, and then he ran to the bridge with Lieutenant Jee.

Suddenly, a lightning cracked the sky and landed on deck. I immediately dropped all water, for fear of getting electrocuted, and the blow on the ship made it rock heavily to port, causing everyone on deck, including me, to roll over the deck.

I heard voices screaming from the bridge, and looking up, I saw Zuko running out of the bridge towards the rigging, closely followed by Lieutenant Jee. As I stood up, I followed his way with my gaze and I saw the helmsman hanging off the rigging for dear life. I jumped forward and ran that way, but then I saw a wave rushing to deck and I had to stop to prevent it from sweeping the deck of men again.

When I looked back up to the rigging, Zuko was nowhere to be seen, and Lieutenant Jee was leaning over the railing, as if holding something… or someone.

Then a huge lightning cracked the sky again, but before it could hit main deck, Iroh extended his hands and somehow deflected the lightning to the water.

I ran to the rigging and saw Lieutenant Jee raising Zuko and the helmsman to deck. They had had to cooperate to save the man's life.

I approached the rigging and stared at the enraged sea. We wouldn't last long in this storm.

'The Avatar!' Zuko said behind me, and I looked up to see Appa flying between the black clouds. What was Aang thinking, flying in this storm?

'What do you want to do, sir?' Lieutenant Jee asked Zuko politely.

Zuko thought for a second. 'Let him go. We need to get this ship to safety'

I could hear Iroh's words among the collective sigh of relief of the men. 'Then we must head directly into the eye of the storm' he pointed out.

Everyone started running around, working hard to maintain the ship safe. Iroh and Zuko were standing on deck, staring at the storm and at the men around.

I ran to the middle of the deck again and did my best to contain the storm and deflect the main waves. After an hour or so, we finally reached the eye of the storm, where the wind died out and the pouring rain was replaced by a light drizzle. The sea was calmer now, so I gave in and sat down right there on deck, to recover my strength, which was almost depleted.

'Uncle, I am sorry' I heard Zuko say behind me.

'Your apology is accepted' Iroh replied.

Then, a bubble of energy rose up from the sea, and I could see Aang, in that strange state I had only seen him once before, where his eyes and tattoos were shining with blue light.

He floated in the air, staring at us furiously, and then he disappeared.

I looked behind my back and I saw Prince Zuko staring at the spot where Aang had disappeared, looking frustrated, but then he looked down, and I understood he was thinking it was not over.

* * *

_**A/N: How did I do with the 3rd person Zuko POV? I wasn't planning to write a Zuko POV until the 3rd Book, but I just needed to know how he feels about Kira. R&R!**_


	8. Ideas

**Chapter 8: Ideas**

Two days passed, and the general mood started to lift on the ship. The storm had prevented Zuko from capturing the Avatar, but it had given him something better: A united crew. Since we all had had to work together to get the ship out of the storm safely, now all the men were nicer to each other, to Zuko and to me.

Lieutenant Jee explained to me later that I had done a great job by stopping the larger waves, and that the men were thankful. I felt elated, because that was great for my plan. And Iroh reinforced the idea when he came later for the evening tea.

But with Zuko I did not speak. He was always on deck or on the bridge scanning the horizon with his spyglass. I had hoped that knowing our mutual stories would help reduce the hostility between us a little, but I still felt awkward in his presence and he didn't talk to me even once.

That afternoon I was playing Pai Sho with Iroh on deck, when I a huge shadow obscured the water around. We turned around and saw a gigantic warship approaching us to starboard. Zuko came running out the bridge and stared at the monstrous vessel.

'What do they want?' the Prince wondered aloud.

'Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho!' Iroh suggested hopefully.

A man came down the huge vessel and landed ceremoniously on our deck. Then he opened up a scroll on his hand that showed a picture of Aang and a legend stating in big black letters 'WANTED'.

Zuko stepped in front of the herald, looking sour, but the man ignored him and started reading aloud.

'The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance! All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao'

'_Admiral_ Zhao?' I wondered aloud, unwillingly.

'Zhao has been promoted? Well, good for him!' Iroh said, moving his tile. I looked at the board. Dang! The news had distracted me and I had missed Iroh's strategy again. I slapped my face in anger, and tried to solve the situation by moving another tile. In the meantime I listened carefully to the events going on deck.

'I've got nothing to report to Zhao. Now get off my ship and let us pass' Zuko told the herald harshly.

'Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area' the herald promptly replied.

'Off my ship!' Zuko shouted angrily, pointing at the huge ship with his hand, which was turning orange by now.

Then Iroh made another move on the board and with horror I understood I had lost.

'Excellent!' he beamed. 'I take the pot. But you're improving. I'm certain you will win if we play again' he added, gathering his tiles.

'Yeah, like I haven't won before' I replied sullenly, but he just smiled and aimed for the bridge.

I stood up and tried to find Zuko, who would probably be upset over Zhao taking the lead in Aang's chase now. But I couldn't find him anywhere, and I returned to the railing and sat there staring at the horizon, where the sun had started to go down.

The announcement had gotten me thinking. Zuko definitely wouldn't want Zhao to capture Aang, and I didn't want Aang to be captured either. That gave us a common enemy. Maybe I could use that in my favor, and win Zuko for my side, against Zhao. Of course I wouldn't let Zuko take Aang to the Firelord, but I could use him to ensure Aang's safety. For an instant I felt guilty, because I knew about Zuko's burden now, but if Aang defeated the Firelord and ended the war Zuko wouldn't need to crawl back to his father and beg for his honor. We would do him a favor if we removed his father from the game.

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that the rushing sound of fire behind me startled me, and I almost fell off the railing. I turned around and saw Zuko practicing his firebending. Well, if I wanted to talk to him I'd have to wait until he finished.

Iroh was watching him too, frowning with concern. 'Is everything okay? It's been almost an hour and you haven't given the men an order'

'I don't care what they do' Zuko snapped, looking at the sea. I frowned. What the…?

'Don't give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao' Iroh tried to comfort him.

'How, Uncle?' Zuko said, turning back to him in frustration. My frown deepened at noticing the amount of desperation and fear on his face. 'With Zhao's resources it's just a matter of time before he captures the Avatar' He turned to the sea again. 'My honor, my throne, my country, I'm about to lose them all' he whispered.

I stood up and walked to him.

'Not everything is lost yet, Prince Zuko' I whispered, placing my hand on his bare shoulder.

He looked at me, unsure of what I meant and looking uncomfortable.

'You can't let Zhao get away with it. It is you who must take the Avatar to the Fire Lord, one way or another.'

'What do you care?' he snapped back at me, shoving my hand off. 'You don't want the Avatar to be captured at all!'

'But you don't want Zhao to capture him either' I pointed out. 'Look, Zhao is cruel and treacherous. If he can play dirty, so can you.'

At that he looked at me again, and I could see my words were sinking deep into him.

'Help me' I begged him. 'We must stop Zhao, and then we'll be free to follow our separate paths. If we work together we can stop him, I'm sure…'

'What you're suggesting is treason' he replied angrily.

'Not if it's you who captures him.' I insisted. 'Is it wrong to steal from the thief? He stole the Avatar from your hands, so you can do the same.'

He looked aside, actually considering my words. But after a minute his eyes sparked up with rage.

'No! I refuse to betray my Nation!' and with those words he stormed past me to the hatch that led to his bedchamber.

I watched him go, cursing myself for not pressing him farther. I had almost convinced him! I was so sullen that I refused Iroh's invitation to play the guitar in the common dining room with the rest of the crew, though his excitement at trying out a new instrument he had bought recently amused me. I went to bed sighing. Tomorrow I'd have to try again.

But the next morning Zuko was nowhere to be found. I roamed the ship up and down, going as far as the machine room, but there was no sign of him.

By noon I went up to deck, cursing myself again for my failure at convincing the proud Prince, and I found Iroh playing a curious instrument. We engaged discussing the tsungi horn, as he called it, and I almost missed Prince Zuko walking tiredly to his hatch.

'Where have you been, Prince Zuko?' Iroh asked aloud, and I turned around to see Zuko's drained face. 'You missed music night! Lieutenant Jee sang a stirring love song' he added with a smile.

But Zuko barely paid him any attention. I studied him for a second. He seemed somewhat different, his shoulders were down and his never ending air of determination was absent. He was probably still upset about Zhao, I guessed. This was my chance! I walked to him again, but he raised his hand tiredly.

'I'm going to bed. No disturbances'

I stopped dead at my tracks. I glared at his back as he left main deck, and then I stormed out to my cabin, listening to Iroh's tsungi horn blowing sadly.

I went to have lunch and then dinner at the common dining room, hoping to get a glimpse of Zuko, but without luck.

By the next day I was getting sick of his strange depressed mood. I had to do something soon or Aang would be captured. This time I tried to find Iroh, to see if he could get some sense into the Prince's head. Only when I decided to search for him instead I realized I didn't know where his chamber was.

I strolled past the deck to the bridge, where I found Lieutenant Jee examining a 'wanted' poster much like Aang's, but this one with the figure of a blue dragon-like mask.

'Lieutenant Jee' I called his attention. He turned to me with the paper in his hands.

'Have you heard? This is great news, both for Prince Zuko and you!'

I stared at him curiously, and he handed me the poster. It stated that someone wearing a mask like the picture and a pair of katanas had released the Avatar from Admiral Zhao's prison, and he was now wanted by the Fire Nation.

I looked up at Lieutenant Jee, speechless.

'I have to tell Prince Zuko!' he said, beaming. 'This will help raise his mood, and everyone's! We still have a chance to get home!'

'But how'd you…? I mean, where did you get this?' I asked, shaking the paper.

'The local mayor gave it to me' he replied, meaning the mayor of the village where we were docking today. 'Now, if you excuse me, I have to find Prince Zuko'

I nodded absentmindedly, still staring at the paper. This meant that we still had hope! But Aang had been captured, and the fact that he got captured so easily was not good news. Besides, who could this masked man be? If I had a chance to find him, I could recruit him to help me save Aang! I definitely had to give this some thought. I pushed the paper up my sleeve and went down to deck to stare at the ocean and submerge in my thoughts.

I was meditating when suddenly the ship rocked hard to starboard. I turned around and saw a massive and hideous monster climb on deck, with a young dark haired woman perched on it. The girl was all dressed in black and wore heavy dark makeup on her eyes. She wore dark gloves and had a whip on her hand. The crew on deck scattered away, frightened at the monster, that stopped a second and started sniffing.

'Get back! We're after a stowaway' the girl yelled.

Zuko appeared running from the hatch that led to his bedchamber, followed by Iroh.

'There are no stowaways on my ship' the prince replied defiantly.

But the girl ignored him as the monster ripped apart a chunk of the deck and stuffed his nose in the hole. Then he stood up again and sniffed the deck. Nearby one of the barrels stowed on foredeck fell and a man came crawling out, whimpering. The animal quickly whipped the back of the man's neck with his tongue and the latter fell paralyzed onto deck.

I looked at him with horror, and so did Zuko and Iroh.

'He's paralyzed' Zuko observed.

The girl picked the man up and placed him over the animal. 'Only temporarily. The toxins'll wear off in about an hour. But by then he'll be in jail and I'll have my money'

'But how did you find him on my ship?' Zuko asked curiously.

The girl patted her monster as she climbed back at the saddle. 'My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away'

'Well, I'm impressed' Iroh said admiringly. I looked at him and I realized I couldn't tell if he was impressed at the shirshu or at the girl.

The girl cracked her whip and the shirshu jumped off the ship.

'Very impressed' Iroh added, stroking his chin.

I growled low for the interruption of my thoughts and continued to stare at the horizon. Only Zuko's quick steps got me out of my thoughtful mood. I turned around and saw Iroh and him aiming to the gangplank.

'Hey!' I called aloud. 'Where are you going?'

Zuko stopped only to shoot me an angry glare and then followed his path, ignoring my question. Iroh stopped in front of me.

'We're going to go find the bounty hunter to make her pay for the damage to the ship. It'll be a boring excursion' he explained.

'Oh.'

'It might take some time, maybe all night. Besides, on our return we might stop at the village to get some supplies'

'Can I go?' I pleaded.

'I think you'd better stay, Kira. There's nothing interesting to do anyway'

'But I'd love to see the village!'

'Maybe I'll show it to you on our return' he promised.

'Oh, ok' was my muffled reply, as I returned to my spot on deck, huffing in frustration. But hard as I tried, I couldn't focus enough as to meditate like before. After a little while, I decided to take a walk on the ship and find some use for me.

By the next morning Iroh and Zuko hadn't returned yet. I began to feel uneasy, though I remembered Iroh's words.

After lunch I approached Lieutenant Jee.

'Lieutenant' I called, 'do you know where Iroh and Prince Zuko are?'

'Inland, of course. They had some business to make'

'But isn't it taking them too long?' I asked, frowning.

Lieutenant Jee turned to face me with a warm smile. He placed a hand on my shoulder.

'Do you always worry that much?'

I sighed, remembering my anxiousness back at the South Pole each time Katara and Sokka went fishing. 'Yeah. It's normal in me'

'Well, don't worry. They'll be back when they deem it right' he replied shortly as he patted my shoulder, and then he looked back at his papers.

I walked to the deck, feeling as frustrated as a kid whose parents don't listen to him.

Then I saw Prince Zuko and Iroh climb on deck, both looking disheveled and without sleep. I ran to Zuko, but he stormed past me to his chamber, a sour look on his face.

Iroh came panting behind.

'Iroh, what…?'

'We had a difficult night' he replied curtly. 'I strongly recommend you don't talk to Prince Zuko about it'

'But why? Did the girl pay?' I inquired curiously as I helped him to his hatch.

'Yes, she did. But the payment was not fair.'

I frowned at his enigmatic response, but he disappeared through the hatch with no further explanation.

* * *

_**A/N: Short chapter guys! Sorry! Anyways, consider this the calm before the storm. From now on the story will get a little darker, because Zhao returns and we get the Siege of the North. I've been editing those chapters already so they should be up on the next couple of days, and with that we'll end Book I. **_

_**After that I'll take a break, because my exams are next week and I'm procrastinating... That can't be good lol. Besides, I've got to reread what I have from Book II, I might make some major changes to that part of the story.**_

_**As always, make sure to check my grammar for mistakes and R&R! And a gazillion thanks to all my readers and reviewers! Getting reviews is like a blessing for me, and it inspires me to go for more.**_

_**Love you guys!**_

_**(Spoiler: Next chapter has really mature content and might not be suitable for sensitive readers)**_


	9. Dragged Into Zhao's Twisted World

_**(Warning: Mature content ahead) Just in case...**_

* * *

**Chapter 9: Dragged into Zhao's Twisted World**

A few more weeks passed as we travelled North, following Aang's trail. It was clear that he was finally aiming to his destination: the North Pole. He and Katara needed to learn waterbending and the only place where they could do so was in the Northern Water Tribe.

My anxiousness and excitement grew up slowly over those days, because I would finally get to see the place that had probably been my home, and the perspective of finding out more about my past was thrilling. Besides, there had been no news about the Avatar being captured, which made my mood rise even more.

I was getting so happy that even my distrust of Iroh receded, and I invited Zuko over for a cup of tea a few times, but he always refused politely. My admiration for my young captor hadn't decreased, and living together on a ship lowered my initial disgust for him. Now all my anger was directed towards Zhao, and I didn't like to think I might have to battle Zuko for Aang's freedom.

One night Iroh summoned us to a music night on deck. He set up a camp fire and brought his tsungi horn, and insisted that I should bring my guitar. Lieutenant Jee played another instrument quite like mine but with more strings, and some other men danced around the fire. It was rather nice, though I had been blushing half of the night, because Iroh made me sing a song with him. All the crew members insisted that I had a beautiful voice, but I felt so overwhelmed that I refused to sing again.

Iroh was singing one song about four loves that corresponded with the stations, when the ship suddenly rocked lightly to starboard.

We interrupted the song to turn around, and saw several men dressed in black that had fallen on our deck. As everyone stood up to face the intruders, I sneaked behind Lieutenant Jee's back.

My heart fell to my knees as I heard a cruel voice I hadn't forgotten.

'We're taking over this ship'

I silently placed my guitar with the other instruments and decided to have a run at my hatch. Maybe if I locked myself inside my bedroom they'd buy I was still a prisoner. I drew breath and ran silently away, but a hand grabbed my ponytail and pulled me roughly from my hair into the circle of light, throwing me on the ground in everyone's plain sight.

'This one was trying to escape, Admiral' a man said.

I refused to look up to prevent Zhao from recognizing me, but he already had.

'Hmm. Nice treatment for a prisoner. Bring her' he ordered, and two men grabbed my arms and forced me up. I struggled to get free, but another man slapped me hard on my face and then I let them drag me.

Iroh ran past us and he disappeared through a door far down the hall, at which we were clearly headed.

'For the last time, I'm not playing the tsungi horn' Zuko's voice said tiredly from inside.

'No, it's about our plans. There's a bit of a problem' Iroh replied, and then I saw Zhao entering the room.

'I'm taking your crew' he announced.

'What!' Zuko's angered voice yelled inside.

'I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole'

'Uncle, is that true?'

'I'm afraid so.' Iroh's voice replied. 'He's taking everyone. Even the cook!'

'Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar' Zhao sneered at Zuko. 'But I can't have you getting in my way'

Then there were confusing sounds inside, and the men carrying me pushed me inside, obviously after a signal from Zhao that I missed. They tackled me and I fell on my knees in front of Zuko.

'And I've seen how you treat your prisoner' Zhao added.

I looked up and exchanged glances with Zuko. His eyes were showing anger but also concern.

'She should be taught the real mercy of the Fire Nation' Zhao added cruelly, and I looked at Iroh, who seemed concerned as well.

But then Zhao walked to the wall of the bedchamber and stared at two crossed katanas hanging there. Zuko stared at him with wide eyes as Zhao started to practice with the sword. I looked at the katanas curiously. They reminded me of something, but I couldn't remember what.

'I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko' Zhao said.

'I'm not' Zuko quickly replied. 'They're antiques. Just decorative'

Zhao turned to Iroh. 'Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?'

Then a light clicked in my head as I made the connection of where I'd seen those swords before. My eyes opened wide as I stared at Zuko. He was the Blue Spirit? Then I remembered that the Avatar had been released the night when Zuko had disappeared, and his tired face in the morning. And I remembered that I had talked to him that very same day, and suggested that he could play dirty too, in order to beat Zhao.

Spirits, he had listened to me! And he had released Aang! But why hadn't he captured him?

I stared at Zuko, and Iroh's following words seemed to come from far away.

'Just rumors. I don't think he is real'

'He's real all right' Zhao quickly replied, and I saw suspicion growing in his cruel eyes. If he found evidence that Zuko was the Blue Spirit, the prince was a dead man. 'He's a criminal, an enemy of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling that justice will catch up with him soon. General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands if you change your mind.'

And then he looked at me.

'As for the prisoner, you can have her. I'm going after a bigger fish. Still, should anyone find her free onboard again, you might be held as a traitor to your country, Prince Zuko'.

And with those words, he and the men holding me left through the door.

I stood up, and Iroh approached me, and he cupped my face, frowning with concern.

'Did they hurt you?'

'No, I'm ok.' Then I turned to Zuko, who was giving me his back. 'Not everything is lost, Zuko. We can still gather a crew somewhere. I've learnt the basics of how this ship works. If we get enough men I could get us out of here in a week'

'It's useless' he muttered with his shoulders down. 'Zhao won.'

I stepped closer to him.

'If you give up he'll surely win.' I said softly.

'Kira is right, Prince Zuko. You will lose when you stop trying.'

'Will you two go away and leave me alone?' he said raising his voice in anger, but still giving us his back.

'Zuko…' I began, but Iroh placed a hand on my shoulder.

'As you wish, nephew' he told Zuko, and then he led me out.

I looked at him, concerned. 'What are we going to do, Iroh?'

'For now, there's not much we can do' he sighed, looking down. 'I suggest you go to your chamber and don't talk to anyone. You were lucky that Zhao released you. In fact, I believe he wasn't thinking clearly. If he or his men see you again you might not be that lucky'.

I nodded shortly and left for my chamber. I had to find a way to cheer Zuko up. His chase of Aang was my ticket to the North Pole, and if he gave up I could bid goodbye to my freedom.

I was careful not to run into anyone. When I arrived at my chamber, I drew water from the open window and froze the lock to make sure no one would get in, and then I sat on my windowsill to meditate, while I listened to the men clearing up the ship.

Soon the ship was in complete silence.

I heard through the open window Iroh's steps down the gangplank, and I tried to relax a bit. If Iroh deemed it quiet enough as to leave the ship, then why should I be concerned?

I unblocked the door and lay on my bed, trying to sleep. But then my ears, sharpened to catch the movements of people on the ship, heard something. I jumped out of the bed in alarm.

'Zuko?'

I left my cabin and sneaked up the stairs, listening carefully. Then I heard feet running out of deck and I launched myself up in pursuit. But when I reached deck I stopped dead at my tracks: There were barrels everywhere, and a black liquid sprayed all over the deck. For a moment I was horrified, thinking it was blood, but then I leaned down and touched it, and I smelled my finger. It was fuel. It took me a second to realize what it meant. _Zhao._

I ran to the gangplank, but then I stopped again. Had Zuko left the ship? I hesitated for a moment. I hadn't heard his quick steps going down with Iroh before. I had to go for him.

But then a huge explosion threw me backwards in the air, and the fire seared my legs and my arms as I covered my face with them. I fell with a splash on the water, nearly falling unconscious, but one thought pierced through my fuzzy brain like a stab on my heart. Zuko.

I swam up with all my strength, and stared at the ball of fire that the ship had become.

'ZUKO!'

No, no, no, no, he couldn't be dead! I quickly swam to the shore and ran to the dock, where I rammed into Iroh. The old man hugged me, but I couldn't think.

'Zuko' was all my pained throat could gurgle out, as Iroh held me in his arms. I looked at him and saw an immense sadness in his eyes. No, no, no, he couldn't give up too.

I shoved Iroh off me and ran to the water, intending to throw myself in the drifting chunks of metal that were all that remained from Zuko's vessel, but Iroh's arm crossed over my chest.

'There's nothing you can do, dear' he softly whispered in my ear, and I grabbed his shirt and looked at him, his face flurry between my tears.

'He can't be…' I whispered, and then my knees gave way and I collapsed on Iroh's arms, sobbing hard.

_Zuko._

A few minutes later I heard footsteps running towards us, and I looked up to see Zhao strolling our way, surrounded by some men.

'YOU MURDERER!' I screamed with all my lungs, and I snatched myself out of Iroh's arms and run to the traitor. I drew water and turned it into sharp shards of ice, and threw them at Zhao. But one of his soldiers melted them with a jet of fire. I drew more water and splashed them all away, except for Zhao, who growled at me. I drew shards of ice again but he blocked them, and then I created a ball of ice and threw it at him, but he kicked it away. Then he blasted a ball of fire at me and I had to raise a wall of water to cover myself, but his hand appeared through the water and grabbed my wrist.

My water fell down with a splash and the cruel man grabbed my other hand as well. I didn't lose time and kicked him between his legs, but he raised one knee and blocked my kick, and then his nails sunk in my skin in the places where the explosion had burned me. I screamed and twitched with pain, and then the hands of two men were holding my shoulders, and as Zhao released my hands they held me from behind.

I struggled against them, but Zhao slapped my face with a hot hand. I took breath for a second, and then I spat him in the face.

'I'm not afraid of you' I hissed at him.

Zhao stood in front of me staring at me with deep hatred as his breathing steadied and he cleaned his face.

'Take her to my chamber' he ordered.

And as the men drew me away I yelled out loud. 'Beware Zhao, because one of these days you will find a knife on your throat and you'll know I avenged Prince Zuko! I'll avenge him, I swear!'

The men took me to Zhao's ship, to a nicely furnished chamber, and they chained me to the wall, but loosely, so I could walk one or two steps away from the wall or even sit down comfortably.

When they left I collapsed on the ground in sobs again, mourning Prince Zuko's death. A while later, a bare-chested Zhao walked into the room. I stood up and stared at him defiantly.

'So you liked Prince Zuko, huh? He treated you nicely, I guess. But that's not how the Fire Nation treats its prisoners' he said calmly as he adjusted his wrist gloves.

'He was a thousand times the man you'll never be' I growled back.

Then he approached me and grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to stare at his eyes, lit with cruelty.

'He was a traitor, and he will bother me no more'

I spat on his face again.

He rubbed his face with a hand and then slapped me so hard that I fell to the ground. Then I understood why the chains were loose, so he could throw me to the ground and bump me into the wall or even the roof.

'I will show you how prisoners are to be dealt with.'

Then he kicked me in my ribs.

I couldn't help to cry out in pain. He grabbed me from my hair and pulled me up, tracing the line of my throat with his forefinger.

'You know I could kill you right here and now and nobody would miss you, don't you?' he whispered in my ear. 'Now you will tell me all you know about the Blue Spirit'

My eyes opened wide. 'I know nothing about it' I lied.

The result was a punch in my eye that knocked me down. I could feel a drop of blood run down my cheek, as Zhao lifted me up on my feet again. I panted, trying to hold out a moan, as unwilling tears began to roll down my aching face.

'So you're telling me you didn't recognize those katanas?'

'What's a katana?'

The next punch was in my stomach. I bent down for air, falling on my knees. Then he heaved me up and slammed me high against the wall, pressing his arm against my neck.

'Do you think I'm stupid? As Zuko's girlfriend you must have known all about it' he growled in my face, and suddenly the pressure on my neck was too much and I couldn't breathe. I barely got to feel my feet leaving the ground as he heaved me higher.

I started gasping for air. 'I… was not… his girlfriend' I struggled to whisper.

He released me and I collapsed on the ground again coughing and gasping.

'You're pathetic' he spat at me. 'I can't believe he liked a cockroach like you. He was a prince after all. He could have done better.'

'I said…' I repeated between coughs, 'I was not… his girlfriend… H-He didn't even talk to m-me… You can ask the crew…'

He glared at me.

Then he grabbed my hair and pulled me up again, and as I tried to stand on trembling legs he did something with the chains and suddenly they were not so loose anymore. I turned to look at him, and he gave me a cruel smile as he pulled from the chains. All of a sudden I was hanging from my wrists, only my toes making contact with the ground. I was weakened from the beating, and I realized I would not be able to kick. In fact, I could barely refrain from whimpering at the pain in my wrists, that added to the bruises Zhao had given me and the burns from the explosion were almost too much, even for me.

Zhao stood in front of me and gave me a wicked smile. Something in his eyes suddenly scared the shit out of me, as I realized he was smiling in anticipation.

Then suddenly he pressed himself against me, and his hands went between my legs, forcing them open. I panicked when I finally understood what he meant to do. 'No, no, nooo!' I screamed, and struggled and twisted all I could, but he was in control now.

His hands went quickly over my clothes and pulled my pants down, and then he stepped back as his hands went to undo his own pants. Too soon he pressed himself against me again, his nails sinking on the skin of my hips, and I felt something hard and warm rubbing my exposed abdomen. I kept sobbing and screaming and twitching, but somehow that aroused him even more. Terror began to wash over me as I realized that he had control now and that he could do whatever he wanted with me, and I wouldn't be able to stop him.

'I bet his cock wasn't this big' he whispered in my ear as he rubbed himself against me, grinding against my hips. Then he ran his hands all over my body, from my arms to my waist, and then his hands closed around my breasts, and he squeezed them hard. I screamed in pain, and he gave me a cruel smile. 'I want to see your face when you feel me' he hissed.

I felt the tears rolling down my face, and I began to scream with all my throat, wiggling in terror when I felt his hands rapidly undoing my undergarments. 'I will show you how prisoners are treated in the Fire Nation'

But suddenly the door slammed open. 'Zhao, I – WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' Iroh's voice made Zhao's hands freeze, and he quickly fixed himself before turning around to look at Iroh.

I began to sob uncontrollably and loudly as I hung from my hurting wrists, thank the spirits not completely naked.

'I am showing her mercy, what else?' Zhao said coldly.

'Have you lost your mind? She's just a teenage girl!' Iroh shouted, stepping towards Zhao.

'Careful, General Iroh. I understand you might be protecting your nephew's concubine, and I assume you mean no disrespect to the man in charge of this ship. I believe you are aware that such an action would hold you as a traitor to your Nation, and that is punished with death'

Both men fell silent for a moment, and I saw Iroh's face go white, as my sobs filled the room.

'I mean no disrespect to you, Admiral Zhao, but this girl is under my protection. She was not Zuko's concubine, and she needs medical attention'

'Hmm' Zhao replied, and even though he was giving me his back I knew he was smiling wickedly. 'You claim she had no relationship to Zuko whatsoever?'

'Indeed.' Iroh answered quickly.

Then he walked to the chains and the pressure on my wrists disappeared, and I collapsed on the ground. I quickly took my hand down to between my legs to fix my undergarments, my eyes blotchy from the tears. I saw Zhao's boots in front of me and I looked up, and he shot me a glare of contempt.

Then he walked out the door, and Iroh rushed at my side. His arms surrounded me, as I burst out crying, unable to contain my horror, fear and humiliation.

He cupped my face and stared into my eyes. 'Did he…?'

I shook my head, and burrowed my face in his chest. He hugged me once again, and let me cry for a few minutes before he covered me with a blanket and led me out of the chamber.

The next events are blurry in my memory, and I think Iroh took me to the infirmary. There was an argument about me and I was dragged into a cell, because what I remember next is standing on an unfurnished room, quite like the one I had been in last time, and seeing nothing but a bunch of hay at the farthest end.

Then everything went black as I passed out, collapsing on that same spot.

* * *

I woke up shivering, sore and with half my body in dreadful pain. Fortunately Zhao hadn't cracked any bones, though my ribs hurt terribly, and after an inspection I noticed all that side of my torso was a deep shade of purple. I crawled to the hay and sat between it and the wall, hugging my knees. Not only I was hurting all over, but I was also freezing. I looked up and saw a tiny window open, through where the freezing wind of the north was pouring in. I smiled to myself lightly. That was Zhao's first mistake.

I was still shocked about what Zhao had been about to do to me. I knew he could be cruel, but getting to the point of raping me? That was beyond cruel. That was just sick and evil. And I still hadn't got over Zuko's death. I realized only now that I did care about him, and that somehow in my mind he wasn't just my captor anymore, but something close to a friend. I decided without hesitation that I had to get revenge. I had to avenge Zuko's death, and I would punish Zhao for trying to steal my virginity. But I needed Iroh for that.

I spent the whole day sitting there, trying not to move too much, and listening to the sounds of the ship, a little distorted by the ringing of the wind blowing in.

By sunset I heard the door clanging open and I mentally prepared myself for another session of torture, but it was Iroh who walked in.

'Iroh!' I stumbled to him and hugged him, sobbing hard again. His arms pulled me into a warm embrace, and then he pushed me at arm length to examine me.

'Oh, dear…' he said gravely, and he took off the coat he was wearing and placed it on my shoulders.

He led me behind the hay and we sat there, protected from the whirling breeze of cold.

'Are you okay? I didn't get to check you last night before they moved you here' he asked gently.

I grabbed his arm. 'Iroh, you have to help me'

He bit his lip. 'It's a little difficult now. We're all under surveillance, all day.'

'But I have to avenge Zuko!' I pleaded, the tears rolling down my cheeks again.

'Oh dear,' he repeated with another hug. 'He is alive' he whispered in my ear.

'What?' I reacted, my eyes wide with shock. 'Really?'

He nodded with a smile.

'Oh Iroh' I sighed, and I burrowed my head on his chest, crying like a baby as a huge wave of relief filled me. 'Thank the spirits'

'What you must worry about now is Zhao. He will not… question you anymore, for we all told him you barely had any relationship with Zuko' he added gravely.

For a moment I allowed myself to wonder what Zuko would think of that, and I giggled.

'What?' Iroh asked politely.

'I was just thinking…' I said with another giggle, 'how mad Zuko must have been when he heard Zhao thought I was his girlfriend'

Iroh widened his eyes in surprise and then he smiled warmly. 'I'm sure he wasn't happy' he agreed.

Then I straightened up, flinching at the sharp pain on my ribs, and after rubbing the tears off my face I fixed my eyes on Iroh's, making sure he understood I was dead serious about what I was about to say.

'Iroh, you _have_ to help me. I need to know what's going on.'

'I know, my dear, but I can't do much. Zhao has all of us under surveillance and if I come to see you too often he'll suspect. Remember that you're just a prisoner now. Nevertheless, I _can_ tell you Zhao is planning an invasion to the North Pole'

'Spirits!' I gasped, horrified.

'And he has summoned an entire fleet. I tell you, the people of the North Pole should better be prepared' he added, his golden eyes showing concern.

'In that case I must escape when we arrive' I decided. Iroh looked at me, surprised for a moment, but then his eyes shut and his face adopted a determined expression.

'Yes, you must escape then, or you'll never have another chance'

'Zuko should escape with me' I added, already planning my moves on my head.

'I don't think Zuko will want that' Iroh replied.

'But it's his only chance! I mean, I'm sure Aang is there by now and he'll face Zhao's army. I think Zhao underestimates the Avatar's power' I guessed aloud, thinking. 'If Aang's there, Zuko will go and try to find him, and I'll go with him' I finished determinedly.

'But how will you do that?' Iroh asked, a shade of doubt darkening his eyes. 'Besides, if I know my nephew, he won't want you to be a burden for him'

'I have to think things through' I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose, almost to myself. 'Iroh, what I need you to do is to inform me where Zuko sleeps, and to give him a message from me'

'I'll do my best' he promised. 'What is the message?'

'Hope' I said with a sad smile. 'Give him hope from me. Tell him it's not all lost yet'

Iroh stared at me for a minute, his eyes hardening with some emotion that I failed to decipher. 'I will'

'Thanks' I whispered back. 'Now you should get going if you want to avoid suspicion'

'Yes, you're right' he agreed. I removed the coat and handed it to him, but he refused, raising his hand. 'Keep it, you will need it as we go further north'

I smiled. 'I'm used to the cold weather, but thanks anyway, Iroh. Be careful' I warned, and after a quick bow he disappeared through the door.

I sat on the hay, feeling better. All my body was still burnt and sore, my ribs ached horribly, and the room was freezing cold, but I had something to keep me going: hope.

* * *

_**A/N: Oh gosh I hate Zhao so much! But he's gonna get what he deserves in a few chapters :) I hope you like how the story is unfolding so far. **_

_**Coming up: The Siege of the North. Kira's got some moves to display before Book I is over.**_

_**And a huge 'thank you' again to my readers and reviewers. In response to Syrail73, I didn't quite understand what was your question, specifically, but thanks for reviewing and yeah, we're only finishing the first third of the story. I like to update fast so my stats keep up, but next week I have my exams and I might not be updating. But after that, get ready cause Zuko and Kira have a long way to go yet. I can't promise my story is going to last three months, I don't think so. But there are many more chapters to it, that I can say.**_

_**Love all of you wonderful people!**_


	10. The Battle for The North Pole, Part I

**A/N: Okay, so here comes the last part of Book I. There's not much Zukira on this one (yeah, I came up with a name for them... it was just too easy mixing those names anyway #Iregretnothing), but Book II will bring more of it. I've been rereading it (couldn't help myself) and I'm already preparing the chapters. It's just that sharing my story is so exciting I can barely wait for you to read it.**

**Once again thanks to ALL my readers and reviewers and remember to check my grammar! **

* * *

**Chapter 10: The Battle for The North Pole, Part I**

The days passed and Iroh came to see me a few more times, providing me with food, clothes and the information necessary. Zuko was hiding dressed as a soldier, in one of the soldiers' compartments, and the fleet was getting bigger and bigger with new warships arriving from the Fire Nation.

The huge purple bruises around my body turned into a nasty green and then yellow, and the gashes and burns I had got after Zuko's ship exploded healed up. I guessed it helped that I had placed cold water on them, clenching my teeth to stand the cold.

Some days later, I heard voices on the corridor outside. I sprang up and stuck my ear to the door.

'We'll be landing soon, eh? Are you ready for battle?' Iroh's voice said cheerfully outside.

After a second of silence, a deep voice answered. 'You shouldn't be talking aloud about such things, General Iroh, specially here'

'Oops' Iroh replied. 'My mistake. Won't happen again' and his long steps disappeared down the hallway.

I understood immediately. It was a warning for me. It was time for listening. I sat on my meditation pose and closed my eyes, focusing on hearing all the movements on the ship.

A few hours later I heard the first bombs being fired at the city, and I stiffened up, paying attention to the movements of the soldiers. Far away I could hear screams, and whirls of wind. Staying inside that chamber, not knowing what happened outside, was almost unbearable. I stood up and went to the window, trying to see something, but the window was too high and my cell was on the back of the ship, so I couldn't see the battle. I decided the best time to leave would be at night, when the Moon aided my bending, and the soldiers would be resting from the battle.

At nightfall all battle noises stopped, and I heard the clang of the anchor being dropped. I sat down next to the corridor wall, waiting.

A few hours later the ship was in complete silence, and I looked out the window and saw the nearly full Moon high up in the sky. Now was the time.

I drew water from outside, turning it into ice and covering the door with it. Then I drew a deep breath and I ran at the door, kicking it with both feet. It worked again: the door fell off the hinges and over the guards. I quickly ran out of there down the hallway and after the first turn I sneaked inside another empty bedchamber to lose them. When they passed, I went out and quietly found my way to the chamber where Zuko was supposedly hiding, disguised as a soldier. I opened the door and sneaked in. It was a large bedchamber with several bunks piled up. It was one of the soldiers' bedrooms, but it seemed empty.

'Zuko?' I whispered, but no one answered.

I quickly walked down the bedchamber to the other side, checking it was actually empty. Dammit, Zuko. Besides, it was weird that the soldiers weren't sleeping in their bunks. I supposed it was part of Zhao's plan, and that they'd be hiding somewhere in the Northern Water Tribe. Whatever.

Then a light clicked in my mind as I remembered the Blue Spirit disguise. Could Zuko have saved the mask and the katanas? Would he be wearing them now? I'd have to check. I went to the first line of bunks and rummaged the mattresses, the blankets and some bags that were there, but nothing. Then I passed on to the second line of bunks, with the same result. At the third, though, I gasped when I lifted a mattress and I saw a black set of winter-like samurai black clothes, the blue mask and the katanas. I involuntarily grinned.

I quickly changed into the black clothes, which suited me perfectly. I guessed they stretched, because Zuko was slightly bigger than me. Then I put on the black gloves and the boots resting on the side of the bed, and the mask. Whoa. It felt… great. I felt suddenly powerful and dangerous, like if Zuko's daring attitude was attached to the suit. I allowed myself a moment of weakness as the scent of smoke and ash Zuko used to wear like a second skin filled my nose.

Then I shook my head lightly, mentally slapping myself. _Get back to business._ I grabbed the katanas and unsheathed them, balancing them in my hands. Well, they weren't like my daggers but they would do. I practiced a few moves until I felt comfortable with them, like they were an extension of my arms.

Then I sneaked out, and up to deck, where I was suddenly confronted by hundreds of faces. Shit.

'The Blue Spirit!' someone shouted, and I had to unsheathe my katanas and force my way up to the bridge between the soldiers. With a single glance at the deck crammed with men I realized I could only escape by climbing to the upper tower, now cold, since the engines were off. I got to the feet of the tower and drew some water, freezing it in an ice ladder up the massive tower. After I reached half of it, I quickly dissolved the steps below me into water, and the soldiers following me slid down, screaming. I continued climbing as fast as I could, because they started to blast fireballs at me. When I reached the top I jumped inside the tower, hanging from the border with my gloved fingers. At that the soldiers on deck stopped throwing fireballs, and with a quick glance down I saw them running inside, probably going to turn on the engines to roast me alive.

I sighed in relief. All I needed was a few minutes to study the city and find a way in. Looking around I felt my heart sink when I lost count of the ships on the fleet. The Water Tribe would have a hard time.

But the main wall of the city seemed impenetrable. Still, I had to try. The city was encased on a bay, surrounded by an immense glacier. But I knew from experience that glaciers are dangerous places filled with cracks and underway tunnels. Maybe I could find a way in over there.

When I noticed a sudden heat coming towards my legs I knew it was time to get out of there. I stepped on the border, trying to balance myself for dear life, and then I launched myself at the water. In the midst of my fall, I quickly drew some water up to receive my body, so that the crash against the freezing water wouldn't kill me, and I swam away quickly as I removed the mask, feeling projectiles hit the water around me.

Thank the spirits, Zuko's black suit was more than good for staying warm, and since I was a waterbender it wouldn't be so difficult. In fact, I realized that if I didn't stop moving I wouldn't freeze to death. I swam all the way around the Fire Navy and aimed to the massive icebergs near the huge ice wall, trying to avoid being seen. Behind one of them, I saw a dark shape ahead and I quickly dove beneath the water. I warily approached the shape from underwater and I discovered it was a canoe, but I hadn't seen anyone on it before. I broke the surface and confirmed my suspicion: it was empty.

Who would come this far and why? I could only think of one reason: To get inside the city like I was doing. But who would do that secretly? Well, either Zhao, planning some mischievous trap… Or Zuko, trying to find Aang.

There were some sea turtles there, and I saw one of them dive into a hole in the iceberg a little ahead of me. I looked around. Whoever it was that had left the canoe there didn't have nowhere else to go. I raised a quick prayer to the Spirit of the Moon and threw myself in the hole. I swam all the way up to an underground cave, filled with more sea turtles, and I saw some footprints on the snow. I followed them all the way up to a small waterfall. I looked at it, confused. Which other way could they have gone?

After the few minutes that took me to waterbend the freezing water out of my clothes and get warm again, I faced the waterfall. When I tried to climb, I noticed my feet fell on previously marked spots, as if someone had stuck their feet in that same place shortly ago. Then that was the way they had gone.

I swam all the way up to a tiny space where I could breathe some air. Then I looked around and noticed only one tunnel coming out from the ice cave, and I didn't see no bodies, so my predecessor had obviously not drowned.

I took the tunnel and then I saw light above me. I quickly swam up and climbed out of the ice and into a tunnel. Phew! I'd made it. The problem was, someone had secretly entered the city before me. But somehow I couldn't picture Zhao doing all that swimming in freezing water, so either he'd sent in a spy, or it had to be Zuko.

I shook my head quickly. I'd better not think about that now. I bent the water out of my clothes and hair and put the mask back on.

I drew a quick breath and looked around. I had appeared on what seemed only a ventilation tunnel, not connected to the main city, but on a second look I saw on the second floor some stairs, not far away from me. I drew some water and created an ice ladder as I had done on Zhao's ship, and I climbed up. I looked around. I was now inside the frozen city.

The city was way larger than I had expected, and more beautiful than any village I'd ever seen. All the houses, temples and fountains were sculpted out of ice, and the water channels running through the city guaranteed enough material for waterbending and enough to deal with people's thirst. I could only hope they would be enough to drown the fireballs that were about to start falling everywhere.

This was the perfect place for any waterbender, where everything you could need was at hand. And yet, it made me feel strange. I was hoping to find my home, but this place didn't feel like home to me. I looked around, hoping for some lost memory to come up, showing me flashbacks of my life here. I could picture myself here as a toddler, running around and playing with snow, but it was only in my imagination, for no memory came out. In fact, the frozen city didn't stir anything inside of me nor feel familiar.

I sat down for a few minutes and tried to meditate, to reach my inner self and see what this place provoked in me. I examined my heart and I realized this was not my home. I had not grown up here. I had no family here. And it was not a place for me. It meant nothing.

I can't explain how I was so sure about that, I just felt it. I felt there was nothing attaching me to this place, and I realized I was only worried about four people: Aang, Sokka, Katara… and Zuko.

Somehow I knew they were all in the city, and I had to find them. But then, a whirling sound brought me back to Earth and I saw a fireball fly all over me and fall within the city. In the sky, the sun was slowly rising up.

What an idiot! I had wasted the entire night to just get there and _meditate_. I wanted to kick myself for my stupidity, but I realized that trying to help would probably be more useful.

I witnessed an immense warship approach the ice wall and pierce it with the bow. Oh, no. If the walls gave in that easily, the city was lost. I quickly tried to waterbend more ice to repel the ship, but I was too far away and the amount of water necessary was more than I could handle by myself.

I found my way down the wall and ran into the city, wearing my mask again. I ran past the scared citizens, who kept pointing at me and shouting, but I didn't stop. I had to make it to the front row of defenders.

It took me a while but I finally arrived, skidding in the snow, luckily not having to confront anyone before. I drew water along the line of defenders and washed out the first man to climb over the broken wall.

'The Blue Spirit!' everyone gasped around me.

An elder man approached me, and I stood still as he gently removed my mask. My black hair fell loose over my shoulders and back.

'Who are you?'

'My name is Kira' I replied. 'I'm here to help. I'm a waterbender, and I've noticed that most of your forces are stationed here. But the fire is flying past us and inside the city. You should send some benders inside to stop the fire from burning up everything'

The man frowned, clearly upset at having a teenager he'd never seen before, clad in the Blue Spirit disguise, telling him what to do. I realized he considered it a serious disrespect, and only the battle going around and his surprise prevented him from imprisoning me. But I was past all that, and I didn't really care. I knew what was in store for this people, and the survival of the Water Tribe was much more important than etiquette.

'We're short enough of people here. Where do you come from, anyway? Are you aware that women are not allowed to waterbend here?'

'I was raised in the Southern Water Tribe' I replied, choosing to ignore his last question. If he started to question me now, in the middle of a battle, we were all goners.

The man gasped. 'But then…' he interrupted himself, thinking. 'Kira. Yes, I think I know who you are. I'd like to know how you got here, but… We've got more important things to worry about' he said, clearly deciding to ignore the fact that I was a girl, for practical purposes.

'Wait!' I said, grabbing the man's sleeve. 'If you know who I am, you must have spoken with Katara or Sokka!'

The man smiled warmly. 'My name is Master Pakku, and I am Katara's teacher'

I beamed, happy to hear that my sister had found what she had always wanted, and wanting to hear more about her, but then a fireball hissed above us, falling nearby and bringing down an entire house.

I saw firebenders rushing into the city behind Pakku, and I ran past him, drawing some water and wiping them out, but more fireballs kept falling around.

'Where did you learn that?' I heard Pakku's voice behind me. 'I've never seen that technique!'

'I don't know!' I replied in earnest, as I threw shards of ice to the invaders. Soon two more ships broke the main wall, and the soldiers began to fight the waterbenders on top of the wall, while more men descended over to where we were, inside the outer wall of the city.

I watched the waterbenders fighting, and with each jet of water they could sweep out many men, but many more came in each moment, and the situation was growing worse by the minute. Then I remembered Iroh's lessons to Prince Zuko.

'Break their root!' I shouted to the benders.

'What?' Pakku asked.

'To beat a firebender you must break his root!' I yelled back, as I threw a slide of ice to a firebender's feet. He stumbled upon it and fell, and then I froze the water around him and threw him in one of the channels, where he sunk out of view.

The waterbenders around me began to imitate me, and the firebenders were the first ones to be knocked down. Still, not all soldiers were benders, and once they saw our strategy, the firebenders stood behind and non-bender soldiers entered first, as they dodged our attacks.

We fought all we could, and the men never gave up until being knocked down, but we were still being forced to retreat. One of the waterbenders ahead of me fell down, and the soldier fighting him took out his sword and aimed to stab him in the chest. I quickly drew my katana and threw it at the man. I ran there and helped the waterbender up, covering us with a wall of ice momentarily, and I dragged him back to the main line, not before recovering my katana.

I carried the barely conscious bender to Master Pakku.

'Take him with the injured!'

And then I decided the Blue Spirit should go into action. I put on the mask again and jumped forward, past the line of defense. I unsheathed my katanas and began slicing all that appeared in sight. Soon I was covered in blood, and around me there were many bodies piled up. I jumped forward and attacked more soldiers, but then they started shouting.

'The Blue Spirit! The Blue Spirit is a waterbender!'

Suddenly I was surrounded. I kept moving my katanas back and forth, and tried to retreat, but the men were all around me, and one of them let out a cruel laugh as they closed the circle around me. I bit my lip, and then I melted the ice beneath my feet and vanished in the water, among everyone's gasp of surprise. I made my way back through the ice to the line of defenders and Pakku congratulated me with a pat on the shoulder.

'I have really never seen such technique'

'It's called the Kira move' I replied jokingly, ignoring a painful memory of Sokka and that thing he always did of naming the moves.

But then I ran forward to attack the other flank of the advancing troops.

I did my best, and took down many soldiers, just as the other benders, but we were still being forced backwards. By early afternoon the rear lines of defenders had reached the second wall. Still, Pakku refused to give up on the outer wall.

I retreated for a second behind the line of defenders to look at the battle going on. Ahead I could only see red uniforms everywhere. I tapped Pakku's shoulder and told him I'd climb the second wall to get a good look at the battlefield.

I climbed up and studied the battle, removing my mask. It didn't look good. The warships were docking on the outer wall, and the few defenders still fighting there were about to be wiped out. At seeing that, I ran to my right and down the wall. I forced my way up until the first line of defenders, took a deep breath and drew water, freezing it over the soldiers' heads. Then I jumped up and, skating on it, I tried to reach the outer wall. At about half the way, the soldiers began to point their swords upwards, piercing through the ice and aiming to cut my feet, and I had to begin jumping over the tips of their swords as I skated. But then I looked ahead and my heart sank when I saw a sea of spears between the ice wall and me.

Miraculously, a rope came out of nowhere, and I clutched it for dear life, using it to jump over the heads of the surprised soldiers and crash against the ice wall, where I quickly created an ice ladder (I was getting good at it) and climbed up. The man who had thrown the rope at me was one in a group of ten benders that had been cornered against the glacier, where the wall ended.

'Thanks' I muttered as he helped me up. He gave me a short nod and then directed his strength at the firebenders assaulting the men.

I took one second to regain my breath and then I launched myself forward, sliding on the floor and kicking at the firebenders' feet. That way I swept some of them over the wall.

'Come on!' I summoned the waterbenders with my hand, as I battled the soldiers on the wall. With the coordinated forces of the waterbenders and my katanas, we cleaned up the top of the wall from enemies, good until the first opening, where many meters below the Fire Nation troops were still coming out of the bow of the warship.

I panted for breath, as I bent down and put my hands on my knees.

'Thank you' someone said behind me, and when I turned around I saw the man that had thrown the rope at me. 'I thought Pakku had forgotten about us. I'm Haroka' he said.

I straightened up and shook his hand, deciding against telling him that Pakku didn't want to lose the outer wall and was willing to risk their lives for it.

'Kira' I replied shortly, and then I had to bend again to dodge a fireball coming from across the gap in the wall. 'We must leave this place' I told Haroka.

'But the wall!' he protested in dismay. Then he shook his head sadly. 'You're right. The Wall's lost anyway'

'Is there another way out of here?' I asked him, pointing down at where I had come from, crammed with Fire Nation soldiers now.

'No' he said, looking down.

'Then we must make it' I replied, and I ran past him and past all the benders towards the glacier wall. I placed my hand on it.

I turned around to face the benders. They all looked extremely tired.

'We must dig our way through the glacier!' I announced.

'Are you out of your mind?' Haroka snapped. 'Have you any idea of how dangerous it is?'

'Yes, I do.' I said firmly. 'But it's either that or a sea of spears. Do you want to die impaled?' I paused a moment to let my words sink in. 'Then you must follow me.'

'Haroka, she's right' other man backed me up.

'We don't even have to dig deep! Just a passage all the way up to the second wall!' I said.

Haroka looked at the huge glacier, absentmindedly.

'Very well. But I'll go first. I know the glacier like the palm of my hand'

'Everyone, form a row!' I organized the benders. 'I'll take the rear' I told Haroka. He nodded shortly and stood next to the glacier.

He raised his hands and melted a piece of the glacier the size of a man. He stepped in the space he had just created and began to dig a passage on the border of the glacier, carefully feeling the ice with one hand and paying attention to the differences in color.

I waited until all the men were inside the passage, following Haroka. But as the last man was climbing in, a ball of fire flew past me inches from my head, and sank in the wall of ice beside me. I turned around and saw five firebenders climbing up the gap in the wall. I raised a wall of ice between them and me and jumped in the passage, following the row of men. As the men advanced, I rebuilt the ice in the space we had just occupied, preventing the firebenders from following us. But my ice was not the same quality than the millenary glacier, and it could be melted more easily, even by a firebender.

'Haroka, hurry up!' I yelled over the heads of the men, as I kept re-freezing the path behind us.

The men began to move more quickly, and I sighed in relief when I leaned over the edge of the glacier and I saw the firebenders looking at us from the wall, frustrated.

In a few more minutes we arrived at the second wall. As I descended, Haroka grabbed my hand.

'Thank you. If it hadn't been for you, we would have all died up there'

'It's ok. I just couldn't let it happen' I replied with a smile.

From the spot at the second wall where we were standing, I looked down at the battle. It was getting worse. The outer wall was already taken, and the defenders were retreating inside the second wall.

I looked up at the sky. It was still bright day, and night was hours away. How could we hold our ground until night?


	11. The Battle for The North Pole, Part II

**Chapter 11: The Battle for The North Pole, Part II**

Master Pakku summoned all the waterbenders on top of the second wall and I jumped forward, eager to fight. He ordered us to send coordinated jets of water at his mark, through the holes in the second wall. I waited and then, at his mark, pushed a strong jet of water through the hole. We cheered at seeing two of the tanks being swept away, but then another tank threw a grappling hook at the middle of the second wall and pulled, tearing down a piece of it.

'No!' I yelled involuntarily.

Then two more hooks flew out at the wall, and I rushed forward to the closest one. I jumped down the wall's outer side and stuck one katana at it to slow down my fall. When I reached the hook, I used the other katana to sever the cable pulling from it, and the cable whipped back, sweeping three more soldiers.

I grinned with triumph, but then two firebenders threw fireballs at me and I had to create the ice ladder in a whim and get up the wall again.

Even in spite of my effort to get rid of the hook, there were three more gaps on the second wall, and the Fire Nation troops were running through, with their war rhinos. I ran at the gap and jumped right on top of the first rhino, kicking the firebender out of the way. Then I pulled from the rhino's reigns and I made it turn around, facing the soldiers on the outside of the wall. I noticed the rhino had two little trebuchets on each side, and I activated them, firing them at the Fire Nation troops.

Then I drew one katana and flickered its tip on the rhino's ear. Naturally, it went berserk from the tickle and started to jump up and down, crushing all the soldiers around him. I enraged the poor animal a little more as I held to the reigns with all my strength, and then, when I felt it was about to run wild, I directed him at the army in front of me. The rhino then stood in two feet and with a howl of rage charged towards the firebenders. I quickly stood up and jumped away, slicing my way back through the soldiers with my katanas.

When I arrived at the line of defenders I felt one hand over my shoulder and I was dragged behind.

'What are you doing?' Pakku's voice asked me, as he shot me a stern look.

I bent down, panting. 'Saving… lives…'

'Yes, I can see that, but you're risking your own neck too much. You're just a girl!' he admonished me.

I straightened up and looked him in the eye. 'Master Pakku, this is war. No girl, child or old people will be spared if the Fire Nation wins the city. Especially not me'

'Fine, but I want you off the first line for a while. You need to regain your strength' he said firmly, and I understood there was nothing I could do about it. An order was an order.

'Very well' I bowed to him, still trying to regain my breath, and backed up to the rear lines.

The battle continued until well past sunset. We were all exhausted, but the Fire Navy never stopped. For every man that fell down, there was another to replace him. We had to back down almost until the third wall, and I knew that behind those walls there were hundreds of women, elder people and children, helpless and scared. We ended up losing the second wall as well, and we were getting desperate by midnight.

But then the Moon appeared in the sky from behind a cloud, and I felt strangely comforted and my chi enhanced, just like that time when I was inside a cell and holding a ball of ice in my hands gave me peace of mind.

Suddenly all the waterbenders began to have the advantage, and I saw a single bender sink down a tank all by himself.

'For the Water Tribe!' I cried out, and we launched ourselves forward with a war cry. I drew more ice spikes at the soldiers and encased many in blocks of ice.

I gathered five benders around me and we attacked group after group of soldiers. Then I saw Master Pakku create a water tornado like I had only seen Aang do before and repel all of the fireballs aimed at him.

I felt elated. We were finally matching up!

I forced my way in between the soldiers, followed by my waterbenders, and aimed for the second wall. We knocked some of them out and I climbed up the wall with one of my ice ladders. Once up, I summoned a tidal wave that washed out the remaining firebenders from the top of the wall.

Slowly but certainly we began to push the firebenders out of the city, but suddenly I felt my bending falter, and I stumbled, feeling dizzy. I looked up and saw the Moon had turned red. I looked behind me and noticed all the other benders holding their heads. I didn't know what was happening, but it was bad.

Down on the city, Pakku's tornado vanished and he fell on the ground, and the waterbenders began to scatter out, panicking.

'No!' I yelled from the wall. 'We'll lose what we've just won!'

Then I tried to ice slide down the wall and I noticed that my bending had disappeared. I suddenly felt helpless, and understood why the waterbenders were fleeing away in panic.

But I could also see the firebenders gaining ground again really quickly, and I remembered the people hiding behind the third wall, women and children. We couldn't let it happen. I wouldn't let it happen.

I put the Blue Spirit mask back on, and jumped down the wall, sticking my katana on it to slow down my fall. The ground of the city was crammed with firebenders, and I forced my way between them by slicing everyone around, and kicking and punching, all at once.

They started to surround me, and my fighting became more desperate. I couldn't fail now! Too many people depended on me, on us. I gritted my teeth, trying to speed up my slashes, my arms screaming in pain from the extended effort, but I kept losing ground.

Then suddenly the moon went white again and I summoned water to splash them out. But it only lasted a few seconds, and then the moon blinked and vanished from the sky.

'No…' I muttered, looking up.

It felt like a huge part of me had just died, my bending vanished, and I felt an incredibly tempting need to grovel and cry, but I knew I had to resist. With tears rolling down my cheeks behind the mask, and a superhuman effort, I ran to the first wall, and stood in front of the main gate.

Almost all the waterbenders had disappeared, and I saw the firebenders closing in on me, and I silently stood between them and the gate, determined to give my last breath to defend this people. I stared at them defiantly and pointed one katana at them, remembering Sokka's useless attempt to stop Zuko's warship back at the South Pole, and then I opened my arms, indicating that they'd have to go over me to pass through.

But then the ground shook suddenly, and everyone gaped at something happening behind me.

At first I thought it was a trick, but I looked around and I noticed that all the waterbenders left were on their knees, revering something, and I turned around.

A huge fish-like monster was standing up behind me. I stared fascinated at it, gaping as I lowered my mask, and a sudden fresh breeze blew my hair backwards. The sea breeze struck me like a revelation to my heart, and I knew that the ocean spirit was rebelling against the moon's murder.

I fell on my knees, overwhelmed, as I felt tears of gratitude rolling down my face. I bowed to it as it moved past me, in speechless adoration of my God, and once it passed I straightened up, sitting on my knees, and stared at it destroying all the Fire Nation machinery.

An immense relief invaded me as I realized that the Ocean Spirit hadn't turned his back on us. The Water Tribe had been saved.

As I drew a deep breath of relief, I remembered that Zuko was still on the city, and my heart told me that I needed to find him, and urgently. Find the Prince and make sure he doesn't hurt anybody or gets hurt himself.

I jumped on my feet, trying to disregard the fact that I could not bend and trying to overrule my heartbreaking pain for the Moon Spirit, and ran to the wall. I used my katanas to climb up, sticking them on the wall one at a time and propelling myself up. Once on top of the wall, I stared for a second at the Ocean Spirit wreaking havoc on the fleeing Fire Navy, and then something caught my eye up on my right.

I glanced up and saw a fireblast on a bridge above me.

'Zuko!'

I looked around and spotted the inside stair that would lead me to that bridge, and I ran towards it. I climbed the stairs two steps at once, and I was about to turn around the corner to reach the bridge, when a hand grabbed my arm and pulled me back. Suddenly my arms were behind my back and one of my katanas was over my throat, and a voice hissed in my ear: 'Did you miss me, filthy peasant?'

I gasped in horror when I recognized Zhao's voice.

He pulled the mask over my face and turned around the corner using me as shield, and with a sudden pain in my chest I saw Prince Zuko waiting for Zhao, on his firebending stance. He saw me and gasped, though he did not recognize me because I was wearing the mask.

'Well, well, just look what we have here' Zhao sneered, forcing me forward. I wiggled a little, but stopped when the katana touched my skin. Zhao addressed Zuko. 'I thought you were the Blue Spirit… but turns out your girlfriend lied to you!' and then he pulled the mask off my face and Zuko saw me.

He gasped again and his beautiful golden eyes widened, filled with shock and concern. I gave him a sad look.

'I'm sorry, Zuko'

'And now I'm going to kill her!' Zhao yelled, ecstatic, as he pressed the blade against my neck and I gulped involuntarily, almost feeling the skin beginning to tear apart under the sharp katana.

'No!' Zuko yelled, dropping his stance. I stared at him. His golden eyes were filled with worry. He extended his hands, trying to calm Zhao down. 'Let her go, Zhao. She's not what you're after'

'Oh, no!' Zhao replied with a maniacal laugh. 'She's exactly what I'm after!'

'_I_ freed the Avatar, not her' Zuko said calmly.

'You should have chosen to accept your failure – your disgrace! Then she could have lived!' Zhao yelled at Zuko, clearly too immersed in his manic mood to listen to Zuko's confession.

After all I'd been through that day, and the state of exhaustion I was in, the only emotion I had remaining was anger and hate, towards that man that had tried to ruin my life and all my friends' every time we met.

'You're taking it on _Zuko_, you piece of shit?' I yelled back at him. Then I suddenly felt better and I saw the full moon reappear on the sky. 'You see, Zhao?' I said, pointing up to the sky, and I spat the following words with all the venom I had in my veins: 'You _failed_. After all this time, when you were so close, you _failed_.'

'It can't be!' Zhao muttered behind me, completely dumbfounded at the Moon shining on the sky. 'Ah, but if I go down, you go down with me!' he hissed in my ear, and I felt the katana cold against my skin. I closed my eyes, sure that that was my last breath.

But then Zhao's feet were swept from under him, and I fell on my knees as he was dragged behind. I turned around just in time to snatch the katana out of his hand, and I watched as the Ocean Spirit dragged him away.

I stood up and stared at him with hatred and deep satisfaction, as I remembered all he had done to me. I gave him a cruel smile, and then Zuko ran past me and reached out his hand.

'Take my hand!' he yelled at Zhao.

But the Admiral looked at him with hatred and withdrew the hand he had just extended, preferring to die instead of owing his life to Prince Zuko. The Ocean Spirit then fell back on the water, and Zhao disappeared beneath the blue freezing waters of the North Pole.

Zuko straightened up and we both stood there, staring at the spot where Zhao had vanished. Then he looked at me, as I felt a wave of exhaustion run through me, and I stammered backwards.

'You okay?' he asked, extending one hand to catch me before I fell, and I grabbed his warm hand, glad that he was here, making me feel safe, as usual. I nodded tiredly. Then he nodded to the katanas and the mask. 'Did you know… about me?'

'Zhao made me see' I replied. 'I'm sorry for using it, but I needed cover'

'It's all right' he replied, releasing my hand to place his on my shoulder. Then a half smile crossed his scarred face, and he suddenly looked younger than ever, even handsome, and I suddenly remembered he was only two years older than me. 'I saw you fighting down there. You're good'

'I learned from the best' I replied in earnest, smiling back.

We both turned to stare at the damaged city for a few seconds, as the horizon started to clear up, announcing dawn.

'I guess you'll stay here now' Zuko said softly, not looking at me.

I looked down, not sure of the answer. Then I looked at the city, at the waterbenders capturing the last firebenders that hadn't escaped, and I looked at the proud prince standing next to me, and I knew with overwhelming certainty what was my destiny. I looked at the moon, and some deep emotion gripped my throat, as I realized that my heart had known from day one where I belonged.

'No' I replied softly. 'I'm coming with you'

The prince stared at me, surprised.

'What? Why?'

I sighed. 'This is not my home, Zuko. I wish it was – I mean, it's perfect for a waterbender. But I don't belong here. You do remember my story, don't you?' I bit my lip as I stared at the sky. 'I thought that when I came here, I'd know. I'd have memories, feelings. But there's nothing. Nothing to tie me down to this place. I didn't grow up here. I fought for it because it was the right thing to do, but…' I turned to gaze into his golden eyes. 'But I know where I must go. I have to find my destiny, and I will follow you around the world until I do.'

'But… I haven't given up on the chase of the Avatar!' he replied, still surprised.

'Well… That's what I wanted you to do on the first place' I smiled. 'I don't want to be enemies with you, Zuko.'

He looked down for a second and sighed.

'I guess my uncle won't stop nagging me to play Pai Sho with him unless I take you with me'

I reached out my hand. 'Friends?'

He shook it, a dark shade crossing his eyes. 'For now'

'Fair enough for me' I replied. 'But you're gonna have to wait for me a little before we leave. There's something I must do.'

He nodded shortly and I turned around, running back to the city, demanding one last effort from my exhausted body. Dawn greeted the heavily damaged city while the moon was still shining in the sky. I ran back to the second wall and jumped down, easing my landing in a bunch of snow. I searched the city until I found Pakku.

'Master Pakku!' and the elder man approached me. 'I wanted to thank you, for taking me in so easily, for accepting my help and helping me as well' I said, bowing to him.

To my surprise, he bowed back to me. 'I should be thanking you. The courage you showed and your leadership helped us win this war'

'Nah.' I shook my head lightly, smiling. 'I just helped reduce the casualties'

'You will have to tell me sometime where you learned waterbending. That is a technique I've never seen before. It was like you were dancing with the water…'

I smiled again. 'I told you, I don't know'

But then I heard a familiar girly voice behind me.

'Kira!'

'Katara!' I ran to hug my adoptive sister. She hugged me back fiercely and when we broke there were tears welling up in her eyes.

'We thought we'd never see you again. After Kyoshi, we thought Zuko might have killed you'

I shook my head quickly. 'No, he's been nicer to me than you'd think' I grabbed her arm anxiously. 'Is everyone ok? Sokka? Aang?'

'The boys are ok…' she answered, but she looked down with sadness in her blue eyes.

'But…?' I pressed.

'Princess Yue died.' she replied softly, her eyes brimming with tears again. 'She surrendered her life to revive the Moon'

I was so overwhelmed that it took me several seconds to regain my voice. 'But– but how did that happen?'

'Zhao murdered the moon, but Zuko's uncle attacked him and he fleed, and then Yue sacrificed herself for her people' Katara replied. Her voice lowered at the next words. 'Sokka is devastated. He was in love with her'

'Oh, no' I replied, feeling terrible for my adoptive big brother, too. I felt like searching for Sokka and hugging him. He had never really fallen in love before, and when he did, his princess had to die. It was tragic, and I knew Sokka would need his family with him. But I had already decided to leave with Prince Zuko, and if he found out he'd feel even more heartbroken. The best thing to do was to get away from him before he even knew I was here.

'Then you mustn't tell him that you saw me. It'll only make him feel worse'

'Why?' Katara asked, widening her eyes. 'You're not staying with us?'

'I can't. It's hard to explain…' I ran a hand through my loose hair. How could I explain to my sister that my heart told me to get away from her? 'Katara, do you believe in destiny?'

'Yes, I do, but–'

'Then will you understand if I tell you that I must find my own destiny, and that it is not here, with you?'

Katara stared into my eyes for a minute, her blue eyes filled with emotion, while I prayed she would understand, and then she nodded quickly.

'Thank you for understanding' I said, as I hugged her again. 'Now I must go. We'll meet again.'

'Wait!' she said as I was turning to leave. She removed her waterbag from her back and handed it to me. 'I've a feeling you'll need this more than me now. I can get another one here at the city'

'But this is the one Gran Gran gave you!' I exclaimed in awe.

'I know. But Gran Gran adopted you too, remember?' she said, winking at me.

I paused for a second, my eyes fixed on hers, and I stressed the following words, to let her know I meant it from the bottom of my heart.

'Thank you, sister.'

'I'll hold your word, we'll meet again' she replied, as she turned around and ran away.

I smiled to myself as I stood on that spot for a second, trying to take in what she had just done for me, and then I ran all the way back to Prince Zuko. He was sitting on the bridge with his legs crossed.

'I'm ready' I announced.

'Finally!' he growled, and I followed him with a smile. We made our way out of the city, and we met Iroh on a raft, who greeted us with no surprise at all at seeing me again. With an immense effort, and pulling from my deepest source, I began to push our raft forward with waterbending, and after we were safe outside the city and on open ocean, Iroh took a pole and placed a hand on my shoulder.

'I'll take it from here'

I sighed in relief, almost worn out. Then Iroh turned to Zuko. 'I'm surprised, Prince Zuko, surprised that you're not at this moment trying to capture the Avatar'

'I'm tired.' Zuko replied stiffly, not looking at him.

'Then you should rest. A man needs his rest.' Iroh said placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder.

Zuko lay down on the raft without another word and closed his eyes. I sat beside him, staring at him with a little envy.

'Kira, you've done enough today. You should rest as well' he admonished me as he pushed the raft forward.

'Do you think you can…' I couldn't suppress a yawn. '…handle it all by yourself?'

'I've handled worse' he replied with a smile, and I lay down on the raft at Zuko's side and closed my eyes, falling instantly asleep.

_**End of Book I**_

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_**A/N: So, what do you guys think? I spent a whole afternoon writing this battle scene, I was worn out when I finished. I hope you've liked my story so far, and get ready, there's more to come. In about a week I should be beginning to upload Book II. Zukira has been friendzoned by now, but it won't last long. Keep reviewing and waiting for more!**_

_**I love you all. You would never believe how happy this has made me. I didn't expect to encounter such support and it's really exhilarating to know that you guys are as hooked up with this story as I am. **_

_**See yah soon!**_


	12. Book II: Earth - Fugitives

_**A/N: I'm so so so sorry for the long wait guys! I just had my exams last week and I was planning to update on saturday, but I had to do this and that and by today I was craving with writer abstinence! **_

_**So, to make it up to you, I'm uploading two chapters today. Remember to check my grammar and vocabulary, and thanks for all the support I've been getting this past week. I love you all.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

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_**Book 2: Earth**_

**Chapter 12: Fugitives**

Run. Run. Run_. That was all I could think then. My feet kept smashing the ground in repeated blows as I tried to speed up as fast as my legs could take. I could hear screams behind me and I knew they were coming for me. Darkness crept up behind my back, but I could still see the beautiful houses and temples of the Northern Water Tribe being shred to pieces by fireballs. Hell was breaking loose around me and I had to escape. _

_Then one arm closed around my waist, and Zhao had me on his grip. I couldn't move, and he ran his hands through my body as he gave me a lustful glance. But then I remembered my katanas. I drew them and stabbed him in the chest. The red blood began to pour out as he shot me a look of horror and pain, and he fell on his knees. I stepped back, both fascinated and repulsed by the blood drenching his white shirt. And then I turned around and began to slash everyone around me, instinctively. When I stopped, I saw a mountain of bodies piled up around me, and I was completely covered in blood. _

_I stammered back, horrified, and I stepped on something. When I turned around I screamed with horror when Aang's lifeless eyes looked at me from beneath a pile of bodies. Spirits, _what had I done?

_I stepped back again, and I bumped against something. When I turned around, the Blue Spirit was staring at me through his demonic mask. He held katanas in his hands that were dripping blood, and I knew he was going to kill me. So I launched myself forward and stabbed him in the chest. But then I felt a sharp pain in my upper abdomen. I looked down and a katana was protruding from my chest, and the blood drenched my already reddened hands. Then I looked up and saw that the Blue Spirit had a katana stuck in his chest as well, and he looked at me with surprise and horror. Only then I realized the Blue Spirit wasn't there. It was a mirror. I was the Blue Spirit, and I had just stabbed myself_.

'AAAARGHH!' I sprang up with a shriek, and almost fell off the raft. Zuko woke up with a start, and Iroh turned around to look at me.

'What is the matter with you?' Zuko snapped at me furiously. 'I was sleeping!'

But I was still dazed over my horrible nightmare, and panting, and I couldn't answer. Zuko huffed loudly and rolled over, trying to fall asleep again. But Iroh approached me, looking worried.

'Another bad dream?'

'Yeah' I said, the furious beat of my heart beginning to slow down as I rubbed my face, trying to erase those unsettling pictures from my memory. 'They're getting worse.'

Iroh sat down beside me. 'Hmm… Maybe your dreams are trying to tell you something'

I smiled lightly, seeing his point. 'Survivor's guilt?'

He tilted his head for a moment, piercing me with his golden eyes. 'Perhaps. Or perhaps it's more than that. You might want to meditate on that. If you examine yourself you will find the answers within yourself'

I ran a hand through my hair anxiously, looking away, suddenly uncomfortable under his gaze. 'Yeah, maybe…' I cleared my throat. 'Just how far from land do you think we are?'

'Based on the position of the stars, I'd say about a day away'

Another half smile crossed my face. 'With or without bending?'

He turned around, not answering me, but I knew he had meant _with_ bending. I realized Iroh was not comfortable with the idea of having me waterbend us all the way to land. He would have wanted me to rest, to relax after all the stress I had gone through the past weeks, but who knew how long it would take us to reach land if I didn't bend?

I sighed and stood up. I did a few stretching exercises, carefully, trying to avoid moving the raft, or else Zuko would roll over the edge. And let me tell you, from my experience, waking a Prince up by throwing him in the water is definitely not a good idea.

Then I began to move my hands swiftly, calling the water currents and making the raft move faster.

* * *

A week after leaving the North Pole, we were resting in a bathhouse in a village at the northernmost corner of the Earth Kingdom, which was under Fire Nation domain. Iroh was getting a massage, and Zuko and I were sitting on the ground nearby. The first thing Zuko had done when we reached land was to steal a large hat that covered his face, so he wouldn't be so easily recognized. He had been in a dark mood most of the day, but he had refused to explain me why when I had asked out of concern. He hadn't rolled into the water today, so I was a little bit puzzled by this sudden crankiness.

Iroh sighed in pleasure and relief. 'Aaahhh… This is what I've been missing. Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for a week with no food or water and sea vultures trying to pluck out your liver would make one so tense?'

I smiled. 'And you didn't bend us all the way down here, Iroh'

Then he walked over to sit beside us on the floor, apparently finally deciding to confront Zuko about his bad mood.

'I see. It's the anniversary, isn't it?' he gently asked the Prince.

_Oh, so that's why!_

Zuko looked away, deeply upset. 'Three years ago today I was banished. I lost it all' Then he raised a clenched fist. 'I want it back. I want the Avatar, I want my honor, I want my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless.'

I placed a hand on his arm, feeling sympathy for him.

'I'm sure he doesn't!' Iroh replied with exaggerated optimism. 'Why would he banish you if he didn't care?'

I glared at him. He was only making it worse! Zuko got up and walked away.

'Umm… That came out wrong, didn't it?' Iroh muttered, almost to himself.

'No kidding' I replied harshly, and walked after Zuko.

'Zuko…'

'Please!' he rebuffed me with a hand, without looking at me. 'I'm sick of your little 'not all is lost' speech! You should find yourself other line!'

Ow. That hurt. I pulled a face, as I felt a gush of anger rising from my stomach. Not like I didn't have problems of my own to deal with, anyway.

'Well, what else do you want me to say? I'm only trying to make you feel better!' I snapped at him.

'I don't need your sympathy' he retorted angrily.

'Fine, then dwell in your misery if that makes you happy!' I snapped back, and turned away, aiming for the beach.

A while later, I was walking down the beach, alone, watching the waves pull up and down, constantly. Tui and La, the Moon and the Ocean. Suddenly I felt a pang of guilt at having left my brother to mourn the death of his princess up there in the North Pole alone.

I realized I hadn't given myself time to meditate over everything that had happened, and as the waves caressed my feet my mind began to race over the events of last week. I sat down there, at the beach, and hugged my legs, trying to rationalize it all.

Iroh was right. I was obviously still traumatized over Zhao's assault on me and the battle that followed. What scared me the most was that part of the nightmare where I became the Blue Spirit and I didn't recognize myself. What was that supposed to mean? Zuko was the Blue Spirit, not me. But I had killed people while wearing the costume.

_Spirits, I had killed people_. I was fourteen years old and I already had more lives on my conscience than many experienced warriors. How was that right?

The tears began to roll down my face, and I began to sob. I felt something cold gripping my heart, and I knew it was guilt. Guilt that I doubted I could ever forget. The sobs turned to hiccups as my anguish was released.

After a while, I couldn't tell if minutes or hours, the pain inside of me began to recede, and I began to feel better. As the tears slowly stopped rolling down my face, I realized this was something I'd have to learn to live with. It had happened, and I couldn't change it. But I could change the future.

I got to my feet, and began the long way back to our cabin on top of the hill.

I sighed as I reached the end of the bay, and then my heart sank to my knees. There was a majestic Fire Navy ship anchored on the dock. That couldn't be good news.

I raced all the way up to our little cabin on a hill to warn Zuko and Iroh, but when I was about to run inside, I heard the unfamiliar voice of a girl.

'Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?'

_Zuzu?_ Who would call Zuko that way and live to tell the tale?

'Don't call me that!' The prince's voice snapped furiously.

'To what do we owe this honor?' Iroh asked.

'Hmm… must be a family trait. Both of you so quick to the point' the girl paused for a second. 'I've come with a message from home' _Home? _'Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of plans to overthrow him –treacherous plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust' Then her voice softened. 'Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home'

I had my back against the cabin, beside the window, listening in awe. So Zuko's sister had come to take him home? My hopes suddenly seemed shattered. Would I have to continue my journey alone…?

I heard steps near the window, and I silently tiptoed around the corner to conceal myself in case anyone peeked out the window and saw me.

'Did you hear me?' the girl pressed on impatiently. 'You should be happy. Excited. Grateful. I just gave you great news'

'I'm sure your brother just needs a moment to –'

'Don't interrupt, Uncle!' Zuko's sister cut Iroh in midspeech. Then I heard more footsteps close to the window. 'I still haven't heard my thank you. I am not a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way'

'Father regrets?' Zuko asked, a soft note on his voice I had never heard before. Like… hope. I was shocked to hear that. For the first time I realized how vulnerable he was in regards to everything related to his family. 'He… wants me back?'

'I can see you need time to take this in' the girl said. 'I'll come to call on you tomorrow. Goodbye' and her quick footsteps went out.

I turned around the corner and jumped inside through the window, startling a thoughtful Zuko.

'So that was your sister?' I asked with interest, successfully hiding my sudden panic at the possibility of his desertion.

'Azula' Iroh confirmed.

I looked at Zuko, who was staring out the window, a deep frown on his forehead. Azula had a point. He should be happy, I thought bitterly. But I realized he was still shocked to hear the "news". I turned to Iroh, looking for support, but he was giving me his back as well. I stood there for a second, confused, not knowing what to say or do.

'So dinner's on me, I guess' I said to no one in particular, and I left the cabin, feeling my eyes go watery with frustration and confusion.

This was bad. Really bad. If there was one thing I was still sure of, was that Zuko was key to my destiny. I had known that back at the North Pole and I could still feel it now, an intuition rooted deep at the bottom of my heart. Zuko's destiny and my own were entwined somehow, and following him was the only way to discover myself and my fate. And I needed it now. I needed it because I didn't know who I was. After all I had done at the North Pole, the people I'd killed, the blood on my hands, I didn't know who I was anymore. And only Zuko could help me find myself.

Somehow he always made me feel safe.

But he was going to leave me now. He was going to a place where I couldn't follow him. Where did that leave me? How was I supposed to find myself now?

My mind was immersed in this turmoil as I wandered through the forest close to the village, and I began to cry again. Spirits, when had I become such a crybaby?

And, after all, I should be happy for Zuko. But something deep inside told me the whole affair was unlikely. If what Iroh had taught me about the Fire Nation was right, I highly doubted Ozai would want Zuko back just because.

I didn't know Azula, but I had sensed, before, at the cabin, that there was something she wasn't telling her brother. And that made the pain in my chest worse. Zuko was going to be deceived, and led away from me.

What about Iroh? What was he planning to do? Would he leave me here on my own? Would he betray me again?

I headed my steps to the market to get dinner, as I tried to make sense of anything. My world seemed to be dissolving in front of my eyes. First I had almost lost my virginity. Then I had lost my innocence when I killed people. I had lost my identity, an identity that I wasn't sure I'd ever had, on the first place. And now the only people that gave me some safety, the pillar over which my sanity was standing upon, were going to leave me. Could this get any worse?

_Yes_, a cold voice in my mind answered, _you could just lose it and go maniac again_.

I shivered involuntarily. No, I wouldn't let _that_ happen. That was the only thing I knew. I was losing control of everything, but I had to retain control of my nerves. Unfortunately, I felt I wasn't doing a great job at it. The tears kept rolling down my face.

I didn't return to the cabin until nightfall, bringing some food from the market. Following a hunch, I stopped outside before going in, and I heard Zuko's now happy voice.

'We're going home. After three long years. It's unbelievable'

For some reason, it hurt that he was happy to leave me. Great. _Give the broken girl more pain_.

'It is unbelievable' Iroh agreed, but in a darker tone. 'I have never known my brother to regret anything'

Zuko stopped walking, and his voice sounded incredulous at Iroh's tone. 'Did you listen to Azula? Father's realized how important family is to him' Then his tone became determinate. 'He cares about me'

I closed my eyes for a second, and all my internal trembling gave way for an instant to an immense pity for Zuko. He sounded exactly like a child who tries to convince himself of his father's inexistent love. I understood Iroh was trying to make him come to sense.

'_I_ care about you. And if Ozai wants you back… well, I think it may not be for the reasons you imagine'

Zuko reacted defensively, as expected. 'You don't know how my father feels about me. You don't know anything.'

'Zuko, I only meant that in our family things are not always what they seem' Iroh replied gently.

But Zuko's reaction surprised me for the poison in his words. 'I think you are exactly what you seem: a lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who has always been jealous of his brother!'

This was enough. I cleared my throat and walked in determinedly. Zuko was pointing a finger at Iroh, which he dropped as soon as I walked in. Zuko rushed towards me, trying to help me with the huge bunch I was carrying in my arms.

'Here, let me– wow, are you okay?' he asked, and he stepped back when he saw my face obviously swollen from all the crying. But I flinched, hurt by his previous attitude.

'I don't need your sympathy' I snapped, using his same words.

He stared at me, surprised at my reaction. 'Not you too…'

'What can I say? I've come this far with you and now you're turning your back on me!' I whispered, unable to contain my feelings.

'I didn't ask you to come with me! You decided that yourself!' Zuko reacted.

I dropped the bunch on the table and turned to look at him, my hands in my waist, my gaze serious.

'I know' I replied gravely. 'And now I'm wondering if it was a huge mistake'

Zuko glared at me, and then he turned away and stormed out of the cabin, his fists clenched up. I instantly regretted my words. He was right; he hadn't asked anything of me. I wanted to slap myself. Was I doing all wrong today or what?

Iroh placed a hand on my shoulder.

'Don't give up just yet. I don't think Azula's telling the truth. And even if that were the case, I wouldn't just leave you here alone.'

I turned to him, my eyes going all watery again. 'Really?' I whispered, a beam of hope reaching my convulsed heart.

Only then Iroh noticed my blotchy face and the tears, and he hugged me. 'Oh, dear, forgive me. I should have… With Azula coming down here and all, I completely forgot about you. Will you ever forgive me?'

'I'm not mad at you' I whispered, beginning to sob again against his chest. 'I'm just so confused! The battle, and the people I killed… the nightmares… I just don't know what to do!'

Iroh's hug became tighter and supportive, as I cried on his shoulder.

'All I know is that I have to stay with Zuko and you, but if you leave me…'

'No, Kira, I will never leave you. I will never make that mistake again'

The silence inside the cabin was only broken by my sobs as the warmth that Iroh emanated made me feel better. I finally broke the hug as I rubbed my face.

'Thanks, Iroh'

He gently rubbed one tear that remained in my cheek.

'You're welcome, dear. Now tell me, what did you bring for dinner?'

* * *

The next morning I woke up late, and I sprang to my feet when I saw bright daylight coming through the window. I hadn't had nightmares this time, I had slept like a baby.

'Whattimezzit?' I blurted out as I rubbed my eyes.

'Kira, you're finally up, you sleepyhead!' Iroh said cheerfully beside me, and I noticed he was preparing a big package. Wait, hadn't he said he wasn't going to leave me?

I threw a skeptical look at the package, raising my eyebrows. He followed my gaze and grimaced.

'I can't leave Prince Zuko. But I'm not leaving you behind either. I will go with Zuko, and I want you to stay around. Pack up your things as if we were leaving, but keep your eyes open. I have a feeling we won't be leaving on that ship today'

I nodded quickly and got to my feet, setting my mind in the task ahead. I picked up my few belongings, the sleeping bag and the food and bundled it all up in a package, as Iroh finished with his.

'Iroh' I called him softly. 'I'm leaving now, but I'll be around' I said, with no further explanation of my plans.

'Very well' he just said, and we hugged again briefly before I left the cabin. For some reason, probably the fact that I had slept well for the first time in days, I felt full of energy and ready for what seemed to be a complicated day. Clearly the fact that I had decided to confront my fears and literally cry them out had helped me feel a lot better. Now if you added Iroh's promise not to leave me behind, the result was an optimistic morning.

I stared at the village below us and at the dock, where Azula's massive ship was anchored. The dock was inside a bay, surrounded by two high cliffs. The day before I had detected some pretty good spots where I could hide some things if necessary, while I wandered through the woods and the bay.

I ran to the top of the cliff at the end of the bay, over which Azula's ship would have to turn if she was headed south, and with some water from Katara's waterbag I froze the package in a ball of ice, and I threw it over the cliff, watching it sink in the water many meters below. Then I turned around and ran back down to the village, and I sneaked all the way to the dock, where I hid behind some crates.

There were many soldiers there, and a girl was standing on the railing of the ship. Her red uniform told me she was Fire Nation, and from her determined posture, her classic frown, and the way the men revered her, I guessed she must be Princess Azula. She was clearly waiting for Zuko and Iroh.

With a quick glance at my left, I saw two figures coming down a long staircase from the cabin. I waited until a pair of soldiers approached me, and with some water I whipped them out. I carefully pulled the unconscious men behind the crates and dressed myself with the guard's uniform and mask, hiding my own clothes.

Then I quickly came out and adopted the men's military pace, as I approached the ship.

'Where is your partner?' a voice called me out. I turned right and saw a man with a uniform somewhat different coming towards me. His cloak had a golden frame at the border and I realized that was probably the man in charge of the two guards that I had knocked out.

'He lingered a moment on the village, sir. He said he'd come back right after me, but I haven't seen him, sir' I answered, trying to make my voice thicker and more manly.

The commander eyed me suspiciously, but then he looked up behind me and sighed in relief.

'There they are, finally!' he said, clearly referring to Zuko and Iroh arriving at the dock. 'The Princess was growing anxious, and that is always bad for all of us' Then he turned to me. 'Well, form up in line. I'll see that your partner's properly punished for his delay'

I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. Then I just bowed shortly and ran to the dock, where the men were forming up in two ranks at the sides of the dock. I stepped at the end of the line, so it wouldn't be so obvious to the Princess watching the whole operation from the ship that my partner was missing.

Then Iroh and Zuko appeared, the latter with an expression of happiness I'd never seen on his face, and Iroh eyeing the guards suspiciously.

They passed in front of me and all along the line until the end, when Azula opened up her arms to greet them.

'Brother! Uncle! Welcome. I'm so glad you decided to come'

Then the soldiers closed ranks behind them. I heard the voice of the Captain ahead.

'Are we ready to depart, Your Highness?'

'Set our course for home, Captain' Azula replied pleasantly.

And the captain started towards the ship as the soldiers marched behind Zuko and Iroh, and I followed. 'You heard the princess' he yelled. 'Raise the anchors! We're taking the prisoners ho–' Then he stopped abruptly, and I gasped low as I understood Iroh was right. Azula had tricked them.

I looked up and saw Azula glaring at the man, enraged, as he futilely tried to apologize. 'Your Highness… I…'

And then Iroh spun around and immediately took down two guards. I instantly drew water and whipped out the two men standing in front of me, being careful to throw them to the water and not kill them. Then the following men turned to me and I crouched down, reaching out my foot to wipe them out. Ahead of me, Iroh was taking down more guards as Zuko climbed up the incline to face his sister. As I dealt with two more guards in front of me, I kept sight of the prince, who was now knocking down two guards on deck; and Iroh, who was doing the same on the dock.

With a quick glance I saw that Iroh and I had dealt with almost all the guards, and only six of them remained between us.

'Zuko! Let's go!' Iroh yelled, turning towards the ship as he held a soldier's head, but the jets of fire on deck showed Zuko did not hear his uncle. I gave two steps back, and when the two soldiers in front of me charged, I placed my hands on their broad shoulders and launched myself over them, rolling in the air. I landed next to Iroh.

'I'll go get Zuko' I told him, and ran up the gangplank to the deck. The two siblings were fighting fiercely, but Azula was somewhat more agile than her brother, and her movements were more graceful. I noticed she blocked Zuko's attacks with little effort, while the Prince was tiring himself quickly.

'You know Father blames Uncle for the loss at the North Pole. And he considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar' Azula said calmly, and I noticed her softness was nothing but a trick to make her words more hurting. 'Why would he want you back home, except to lock you up where you can no longer embarrass him?'

But before I could intercede, Zuko charged to Azula with a howl of rage and they both engaged in fight again. I hesitated, unsure of what to do. The siblings were fighting so close to each other that I feared I'd hurt Zuko while trying to attack Azula. But then she tossed a blue flame at his head and sent him tumbling down the incline within the ship. As I ran to them I saw Zuko shake his head, dazzled. Azula made a movement with her hands and lighting appeared between them. She aimed it at Zuko.

'No!' I yelled, and I jumped between Zuko and Azula, bringing up an ice wall, which was trashed by Azula's lightning. She stared at me, raising one eyebrow with interest.

'And what do we have here, Zuzu? Your new girlfriend?'

'I'm NOT his girlfriend!' I growled, and I threw shards of ice at her, but she dodged them gracefully, as she ran around me to reach Zuko, who was behind me. I turned around, following her move, and whipped water at her from my waterbag, but she turned it to steam with a quick jet of fire.

'Oh, Mai will be so disappointed' the Princess said in a mocking tone.

A war cry behind me told me Zuko had recovered, and two balls of fire passed at the sides of my head as I felt Zuko's heat behind me, aimed to Azula, but she blocked them again.

I turned around and placed my hands on Zuko's warm chest. 'We must go!' But he wasn't looking at me, he was obviously staring at Azula. Suddenly his eyes widened up and I spun around quickly to see Azula performing the same movements than before and about to throw another lightning at us. But then Iroh appeared out of nowhere, grabbing her hand and deflecting the lighting over to the cliffside. Then he turned back to Azula and he kicked her overboard.

We turned around immediately and ran down the gangplank and back to the village.

'Follow me!' I indicated the two men as I took the lead. I ran out the village and down the road that I had followed the day before. Then I stopped, skidding on the dirt, and they stopped as well behind me, panting and bending over.

'Take that path until your reach the river!' I instructed, pointing at a little path hidden behind some bushes. 'I'll meet you there' and then I ran back to the village, not giving them time to argue.

When I reached the village I stopped and covered my head with the Fire Nation mask, but still tried to sneak around unnoticed. I stole some vegetables from the grocery store and a big goose from the butcher's, and then I saw all the citizens heading to the bathhouse. Following a hunch I went after them.

Azula was already standing there, holding a poster with our faces, next to big letters stating 'WANTED'. The princess didn't seem shaken up, though her hair was still damp.

'Anyone who harbors these traitors will face the wrath of the Fire Lord' she announced. 'There will be no place left to hide' she added menacingly, as the citizens staring at her cowered down.

I walked backwards slowly and then turned around, aiming to the dock. I hid behind the same crates than before, finding the two guards had disappeared, and changed back to my old clothes, that were still there inside the crate. Then I waited until the path was clear, and with a run I launched myself into the water. I turned the goose and the vegetables into solid ice and then I used the currents to help me reach the place near the cliff where I had thrown my package earlier that day. I picked it up and swam all the way up for air. I formed a bubble of air around my head and submerged again, swimming around the cliff. On the other side there was another small bay where a river joined the sea. With some effort and help from the currents, I swam all the way up the river, until I found the clearing that I had indicated to Zuko and Iroh.

They were already there, but they had collapsed on the ground and their breathing was still not normal, so I deduced they had got there no longer than five minutes ago. With a grimace I remembered the path was way longer from the village. I stepped out of the water and dried myself out, also unfreezing both packs.

'I've got good and bad news' I announced. Zuko and Iroh turned to me.

'The good news first, please' Iroh said, still panting a little.

'I got us some food' I said, showing the goose and the vegetables.

'And what's the bad news?' Zuko asked darkly.

'We're now wanted traitors to the Fire Nation. Your sister won't stop until she finds us' I said. 'Much like yourself when you were chasing the Avatar' I added maliciously.

Zuko ducked his head, and then he took out a beautiful dagger, with big letters engraved on it. He stared at it for a second and then he took it behind his head… and he cut his ponytail.

I looked down in awe, silent. I understood that action meant a lot more to him than he was showing. His ponytail was what identified him as the Prince, Heir to the Fire Nation Throne, and everything he had fought for in the three years since he was banished. He was giving up everything he was. I gaped at him, shocked after what he'd just done. He handed the knife to Iroh and his uncle did the same.

And suddenly my heart was flooded by a wave of admiration for the young Prince, now turned fugitive, and all the confusion and turmoil from the past few days vanished in a puff of smoke, as I realized that they needed me, and that there were things more important than my self-discovery.

I also realized in that brief moment that I didn't really know who I was, but it was okay. I had to find my identity, find the real Kira behind the mask. If I kept dwelling on the events that led me to become a Northern Water Tribe warrior, I would go insane. I understood then those magical words, that eternal saying, "Admitting your fears is the first step in overcoming them". I realized I was more than scared, I was terrified of becoming someone I didn't want to be. But I had the will to decide. I would choose my destiny and I would decide who I wanted to be. More important, it was my choice to decide who I wanted to be with.

Then I stepped forward decisively and reached out my hand. Iroh looked at me, an unspoken question in his eyes.

'You don't have to do it' Zuko said softly, not looking at me.

'Zuko, I chose to follow you' I said determinedly, and I snatched the knife out of Iroh's hand. 'And I'm in this with you till the end, whether you like it or not'

Then I cut my own side low ponytail. My hair fell loose now, shortened at shoulder-length, and Zuko's golden eyes pierced me, filled with a mix of gratitude and respect.

I kneeled beside Iroh and Zuko when they lowered their ponytails over the river, barely able to hold back a sigh of relief as I felt I was finally beginning to overcome my personal demons.

We exchanged silent glances and we gently deposited our respective ponytails in the river, watching the drift carry them away.

* * *

_**R&R!**_


	13. Learning To Live On The Wild

**Chapter 13: Learning To Live In The Wild**

A few more days passed and Zuko's hair began to grow back, just like my confidence, as our food supplies grew out. My nightmares had started to become less and less frequent, and I began to sleep better. Our problems had not disappeared, though, specially when it came to food. Soon enough we realized we'd have to hunt or steal to eat, though Iroh and I resisted the last option. We had stolen Earth Kingdom uniforms and we were walking down the woods, where there seemed to be an endless supply of rabbits and small animals I could hunt… if I knew how to.

For the first time I realized how handy and helpful was the advice the crew had given me when I was back on Zuko's ship. They had taught me all about hunting, using the stars for geographical location and all sort of useful tips, but that was all theory. When it came to applying that theory to practice, it was a little more difficult. I had some hunting experience, but at the South Pole, where the footprints on the snow led you to almost anything. Here, on the woods, it was different. I tried to hunt rabbits, but they sneaked out too quickly and I kept failing.

Then I remembered that setting traps was a better way of catching them and I prepared my first trap, but after three hours no rabbit had fallen on it.

I returned from my first hunting trip empty handed, to find Iroh crouching down, and staring at a pretty red and white flower.

Before I could ask him what he was doing, though, Zuko appeared from behind a bush.

'I didn't find anything to eat' he announced, frustrated. 'I can't live like this. I wasn't meant to be a fugitive. It's impossible!' he yelled out in anger.

I was about to suggest fishing, at which I was good after all, when Iroh's deep sniff made us both look at him.

'Uncle, what are you doing?' Zuko asked, his voice dangerously soft.

'You're looking at the rare white dragon bush' Iroh replied. 'Its leaves make a tea so delicious it's heartbreaking! That, or it's the white jade bush, which is poisonous'

I snorted loudly, as Zuko retorted 'We need food, not tea. I'm going fishing', and he disappeared again.

Iroh stood there, staring at the flower, contemplating and stroking his chin. 'Delectable tea… or deadly poison…'

I scratched myself behind my ear, trying to hold back an outburst of rage, and I decided to go picking up some leaves. Maybe if I prepared him a good tea, he'd drop his sudden love for that ridiculous plant.

A while later, after giving up when I found nothing good enough for tea, I decided to go find Zuko. I ran across him near the clearing where we had left Iroh.

'So, did you fish anything?'

He lowered his spear for all response. The fish was so tiny, and Zuko's face so sullen, that I almost burst out laughing. I only refrained because the Prince's pride was something not to be played upon.

'Well' I said, holding back a giggle. 'Maybe from tomorrow on I'll go fishing instead'

Zuko glared at me. 'What? You think you can do better?'

'Well, I'm a waterbender, so… I'm used to fishing' I replied, trying to be gentle, but he glared at me again and continued his way. I followed him, still trying to hold my giggles. I bumped into him when he froze at entering the clearing.

'Zuko, remember that plant that I thought might be tea?' Iroh's voice said ahead.

'You didn't!' Zuko replied, horrified. I stepped from behind him to stare at Iroh, sitting on the ground.

'I did. And it wasn't'. Then he turned around and we saw his face was horribly swollen and red.

'Aagghh!' Zuko and I drew back in repulsion.

'When the rash spreads to my throat I will stop breathing' Iroh explained calmly as he scratched his face. 'But look what I found!' he said excitedly, shaking a bunch of red berries in front of our faces. 'These are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the white jade plant. That, or macahoni berries, that cause blindness'

'We're not taking any more chances with these plants!' Zuko decided. 'We need to get help'

'But where are we going to go?' Iroh asked dejectedly.

'We're enemies of the Earth Kingdom, and fugitives of the Fire Nation' I reminded them.

Zuko looked away, thoughtfully. 'If the Earth Kingdom discovers us, they'll have us killed'

'But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we'll be turned over to Azula' I replied.

We exchanged glances and nodded shortly.

'Earth Kingdom it is' Zuko finished, and we walked off in a general southern direction.

* * *

'You must not be from around here'

The girl from the hospital was applying some substance to Iroh's skin, as Zuko and I watched from behind. Iroh tried to scratch himself several times, but the girl always slapped his hand when he did.

'We know better than to touch the white jade, much less make it into tea and drink it' she added.

Iroh laughed sheepishly. 'Oops!'

'So where are you traveling from?' the girl asked curiously.

'Yes, we're travelers' Zuko quickly answered. I eyed him. He seemed nervous, but I was not worried. As long as we didn't slip that we were Fire Nation, we'd be fine. The girl seemed gentle and kind, and was asking because she was merely trying to create conversation.

She giggled at Zuko's nervousness. 'And do you have names?'

'Names? Of course we have names. I'm… Lee' Zuko answered quickly again. 'And this is my uncle, umm… Mushi'

Iroh leaned from behind the girl and shot Zuko an unhappy look at the ridiculous name Zuko had made up for him. I smiled, trying to contain a giggle.

'Yes, my nephew was named after his father, so we just call him Junior' Iroh got back on Zuko, who clenched his fists in rage.

'And I am Kaya, Mushi's daughter' I completed.

'Mushi, Kaya and Junior, huh?' the girl commented. 'My name is Song. You look like you could use a good meal. Why don't you stay for dinner?' she kindly offered, swatting Iroh's hand away from scratching his rash.

'Sorry, but we need to be moving on' Zuko replied harshly.

'That's too bad' Song said, pouting. 'My mom always makes too much roast duck'

Iroh peeked his puffy face from behind her. 'Where do you live exactly?'

* * *

That evening we had dinner at Song's house. She lived alone with her mother, who was a tall kind woman, just like her.

'My daughter tells me you're refugees. We were once refugees ourselves' she said, bringing the roast duck to the table.

'When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided out farming village. All the men were taken away' Song explained. Then she looked down sadly. 'That was the last time I saw my father'

I looked at her with sympathy. I understood her situation perfectly. I had lived with Katara and Sokka for six years and the story of Kya's murder was widely known. Besides, Hakoda himself had gone to battle, leaving his two children with his mother.

'I haven't seen my father in many years' Zuko said, looking down. I elbowed him on the ribs. What was he thinking, making dangerous comments like that?

But Song didn't suspect anything. 'Oh, is he fighting in the war?' she asked innocently.

Iroh slurped down his noodles and eyed Zuko, unsure of how he'd answer that dangerous question, and I imitated him. Zuko put his bowl on the table.

'Yeah' he muttered. He seemed upset for some reason, but luckily that made his lie more believable. Song was staring at him, her eyes filled with compassion.

'What about you, Kaya?' Song's mother asked. 'What happened to your mother?'

I thought for a minute. 'Well, she was a bender, so she was kidnapped when they invaded our village'

'Really? How terrible it must have been!'

I looked down, acting overwhelmed with grief. 'I was little then. But many years have passed, and Father and I are trying to find a new home'

'Yes, exactly' Iroh agreed with me. 'I see you have grown a beautiful and skilled young lady' he praised Song, expertly deflecting the subject from the dangerous field it had reached.

After dinner, I helped Song's mother to wash the dishes, and then she engaged in quiet talk with Iroh. I approached the door, and overheard Song talking to someone, obviously Zuko, and I stopped before going outside.

'I know what you've been through. We've all been through it. The Fire Nation has hurt you'

There was a minute or so of silence.

'It's okay' Song said gently. 'They've hurt me, too'

Then there was another minute of silence, and I couldn't help myself. I opened the door loudly, and approached Zuko and Song. Zuko looked somewhat upset, and Song blushed a little. I wondered what had happened between them. But I couldn't just ask, it wouldn't be proper. So I decided to continue my performance as a poor motherless girl.

I casually leaned over the pillar on the porch and sighed, watching the stars and the beautiful moon up above, and I internally raised a prayer to the Moon Spirit, asking for help and guidance.

'Junior, we should get going. At this pace we'll never reach Ba Sing Se' I said.

Song got to her feet. 'I'll tell my mother to release Mushi. He should be ok by now' and she vanished behind the door.

I approached Zuko, curious, and a little flustered in spite of myself. 'What did she tell you?'

'It's none of your business' the prince replied coldly.

I raised an eyebrow, but then Iroh came out of the house, closely followed by the two women, and we stopped at their courtyard to say goodbye.

'Thank you for the duck. It was excellent' Iroh bowed to Song and her mother, and I imitated him.

'You're welcome' Song's mother replied, handing him a package of leftover roast duck. 'It brings me joy to see someone eat my cooking with such… gusto'

'Much practice' Iroh said patting his large stomach. Then he turned to Zuko, who was almost out the courtyard. 'Junior, where are your manners? You need to thank this nice people'

Zuko turned around and bowed shortly, without much feeling. 'Thank you'

Song stepped closer to him. 'I know you don't think there's any hope left in the world, but there is hope. The Avatar has returned!'

I chuckled to myself, because that was something that would depress Zuko rather than cheer him up. Song was clearly too innocent to see that.

'I know' he replied softly, giving the girl his back.

The women walked inside as we left the house. But we had barely passed the courtyard when Zuko stopped. We turned around to see he was releasing the ostrich that was tied up in the stable.

'What are you doing?' Iroh said, as appalled as me. 'These people just showed you great kindness!'

'They're about to show us a little more kindness' Zuko replied harshly, and after climbing on the ostrich he reached out his hand to Iroh.

'No way! I'm not letting you do this!' I rebelled. 'They are two women living on their own, and you're going to steal their only means of transport?' I hissed, outraged.

Zuko glared at me. 'Are you coming, or are you staying here?'

I hesitated for a moment. 'Fine, but I swear I'll make you come down here and pay them for the animal we've just stolen someday' I added angrily.

As we rode the ostrich away, he sighed. 'You're too naive, Kira'

I didn't smack him on the head only because Iroh was sitting between us.

* * *

We kept on travelling through the woods for a few days. The supplies that Song and her mother gave us lasted only one day, and after two more days of eating only fish Zuko was going insane. So it fell on my shoulders the task of getting us something to eat. Iroh wasn't agile enough, and Zuko lacked the necessary patience and he scared all the animals away. I, on the other hand, managed to learn stealth and swiftness, and it wasn't too long before I caught my first rabbit. On time I became more skilled at hunting, after lots of practice, setting traps and hunting with spears. It felt a little primitive, but we had no choice.

I left early each morning to hunt, and get water, and Zuko and Iroh picked up all our stuff and waited for me at noon with a nice fire. Then we cooked what I hunted and we walked in the afternoon, going to sleep at almost midnight. Fortunately I was so tired at night that I barely dreamed at all, and my main concern quickly switched from the crisis I'd had after leaving the North Pole to food and how to feed all three of us.

But soon enough we realized that my hunting skills weren't enough to keep us provided with everything we needed. We'd need money to buy some more necessary food, such as rice, chicken and specially tea. After the episode of the white jade, Zuko and I took turns to watch over Iroh, because he missed tea so much that he wanted to make tea out of almost every plant he saw.

So we had been forced to beg for money, what annoyed Zuko more than he cared to show. One hot day we were sitting on the main street of a village, and Iroh was doing the begging.

'Spare coins for weary travelers' he told a pedestrian passing by. The man threw a few more copper coins into Iroh's hat.

'This is humiliating!' Zuko burst out. 'We're royalty. These people should be giving us whatever we want.' I raised my eyebrow at him. I hated having to beg as well, but his words sounded a little cocky.

'They will – if you ask nicely' Iroh retorted.

Then he addressed a young woman passing by. 'Spare change for a hungry old man' he pleaded, pouting and making a sad face.

'Aww' the woman said, falling for the catch and throwing a coin into his hat. 'Here you go'

'The coin is appreciated, but not as much as your smile' Iroh said, earning an adoring look and a giggle from the young lady before she walked away.

Zuko slapped his forehead in frustration beneath his hat. I sighed. Zuko was right. This was ridiculous. There had to be another way of earning money.

Then a tall man stepped in front of us, and he gave us a wicked smile that made me shiver. It reminded me of Zhao.

'How about some entertainment in exchange for… a gold piece' he said. I didn't like the sound of that.

'We're not performers' Zuko said in a low voice that could have been a growl.

Nevertheless, Iroh stood up. 'Not professional, anyway' he said, and then he began to sing in an exaggerated manner, clapping his hands. I looked down, deeply ashamed and wishing I could bury my head in the ground.

'Come on!' the man interrupted, and then he drew a broadsword from his back, quite similar to Zuko's katanas. 'We're talking a gold piece here!' and then he unsheathed another broadsword. 'Let's see some action!'

I glared at him, enraged, but from the heat that I began to feel at my right side, I wasn't as mad as Zuko was.

The man then pointed a sword to Iroh. 'Dance!' he ordered. And then he began to swing his sword at Iroh's legs, and the old man began to hop up and down to avoid getting hurt as he continued to sing. It was pathetic, and also enraging.

I couldn't take it anymore. I got to my feet.

'Hey!' I yelled at the man. He stopped and stared at me with surprise, and so did Iroh. 'We might be beggars but we haven't lost our dignity yet. We don't need _your_ charity' I hissed.

'Oh, really?' he said, raising one eyebrow. 'I'd like to see _you_ dancing' he said, and then his eyes ran down over my entire body with lust.

Outraged, I couldn't stop myself. I pushed him roughly on his shoulders.

'Get away, you disgusting pig!'

'Hey!' he complained as he stumbled back several steps. But then his face contorted with rage. 'I'm gonna show you how to respect a man' and he strolled towards me.

I felt Zuko jump to his feet at my side, and I put an arm across his chest, staring coldly at the brutish looking man coming to me. 'I'll take care of this, I've got an idea' I whispered to Zuko.

'Tell you what' I proposed the man before he reached me, 'let's place a bet'

He stopped and eyed me suspiciously. 'What kind of bet?'

'A duel. At dusk. Today, outside the village'

He considered it for a second.

'If I win, you'll give us 50 gold pieces, or all the money you have' I added.

'And if I win?' he asked.

I gave him a smug smile. 'I feel merciful today, so I'll let you choose your prize'

His eyes went over all my body again, and I felt my insides revolting, but I managed to maintain a steady face. It was essential that he should agree.

'If I win, you'll have to spend one day with me, doing _anything_ I say' he proposed, licking his lips.

I felt like throwing up, but managed to hide my disgust. 'You're on.'

'What? Have you lost your mind?' Zuko blurted out beside me. I shot him an angry look. I was a big girl, I could take care of myself.

'Normally I don't battle girls, but the prize is good this time' the man sneered. 'See you at dusk, babydoll' and then he walked away.

'Ugh! That's so disgusting I think I choked up with my own vomit!' I burst out, turning to Zuko and Iroh.

They were both glaring at me, clearly displeased about what I had just done.

'What? It's a piece of cake! I just got us 50 gold coins!' I reacted, not seeing any reason to be concerned.

'Are you sure you can beat this guy?' Zuko asked.

'Please!' I rolled my eyes, confident. 'He doesn't even know I'm a bender. I'll take him down easily. And if things get out of control, I can always count with the Blue Spirit to save me, right?' I said, winking at Zuko.

He considered it for a second, biting his lower lip. 'If you're sure of what you're doing…'

I stepped closer to him, and as I placed my hands on his warm chest, I stared into his golden eyes. 'I am sure. I'll be ok' I assured him. I could see in his eyes that he didn't like the idea, but he knew the extent of my skills. He nodded shortly before turning his back on me.

* * *

At dusk, I walked outside the village, Iroh walking at my side. Zuko was hiding, dressed up as the Blue Spirit, to keep watch just in case.

'Remember, you must study your enemy. Find his weak points and you'll defeat him, but don't let him see your weak points' Iroh said.

'Iroh, I'll be _fine_!' I snapped, beginning to get tired of their concern.

We found Broadsword Man on a clearing a few minutes away from the village. He was wearing a leather shirt and protectors over his hands, arms and legs.

'No weapons?' he sneered as he saw us arrive. I gave him a half smile as I forged a couple of ice daggers with the water from my waterbag. His face went white.

'You didn't mention you're a bender!'

'What, you'll chicken out now?' I teased.

'The bet is called off!' he said, and turned to leave.

'Wait!' I yelled, and then I bit my lower lip, nervous. I was good enough with my daggers. If he let me keep them, I'd still beat him. I didn't think I'd need my bending. But it would be more dangerous.

Broadsword Man turned around and looked at me, a cruel smile on his face.

'I will only duel you if you refrain from bending' he proposed.

'Done' I growled back. 'But I will need to use these daggers'

He nodded.

'One more thing,' I warned him. 'I want to see the money'

He glared at me, turned around and walked to the trees behind him. He disappeared for a moment and then he came out with a small chest. He shook it in the air and we heard the clanking of the coins. He then deposited it at his side.

'No' I said. 'I want to open it and check it. My Uncle will keep the chest during the duel'

'No way!' he rebelled.

'Then the bet is called off' I said softly, as I turned around.

'Okay, okay!' he yelled behind me, and then he walked to Iroh and handed him the little chest. I didn't move.

'Uncle, open it and check it's all right' I instructed, not diverting my eyes from Broadsword Man, whose lustful eyes were fixed on me as well.

'It's all here' Iroh said a few minutes later. Then he put the chest on the ground, halfway from Broadsword Man and me, and then he walked towards me.

He placed a hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at him. His face looked quite white. 'Are you sure?'

'Yes' I whispered at him. 'But keep Zuko close, just in case'

Then Broadsword Man and I took positions. He stared at me smugly.

'Rules?'

'First one to knock the other one down three times wins' I replied.

'Fair enough' he commented, and with no further introduction he charged at me.

I readied myself to take his attacks, and we engaged in combat. I managed to stop each and every one of his blows. He was almost as good as Zuko, but I was quick too. My agility was the key.

He tried to land a quick blow on my ribs over my left side, but I stopped his blade with my dagger. At the same time, he closed the other one on my right, but I also stopped him. Then I spun around and unblocked the daggers, pushing him backwards with the weight of my body.

He stumbled back, and his face contorted with rage. He charged up again, and this time I crouched down and stretched out my leg, sending him down to the ground.

I turned around to face him as he got to his feet. 'One' I said, waiting for him. He charged back again with a howl of rage, and swinging the blades around. I leaned forward, shifting my weight to my right leg, and calculated the precise moment when his hands were turning. I landed a sharp blow on his right wrist and he dropped one sword, and then I began attacking quickly, forcing him back and not giving him time to check his hand or to pick up his sword.

But then he faked a move and attacked on my temporarily unprotected right side. I quickly jumped back, but he pushed me and I stumbled backwards, as he retrieved his sword from the ground.

_You almost fell down, Kira_, I admonished myself. _Remember Iroh's words: find his weak point_.

As he charged again I simply began to block his blows, trying to study his maneuvering of the swords. But he began to move quicker and suddenly my dagger was trapped between his blades and it cracked, splitting in two.

I widened my eyes and he used that second of distraction to push me backwards as his foot lunged forward to kick my leg. I fell skidding on my back on the ground.

'Kira!' Iroh said, concerned, but he did not intervene. I heard some branches move nearby and I understood the Blue Spirit was uneasy too.

'You're almost mine' Broadsword Man whispered, in a low voice so only I could hear him. The lust pouring from his eyes made me want to be sick.

I jumped to my feet. I had only one dagger now, and we were even, both having fallen to the ground once. It would be more difficult this time. I knew Iroh's advice was the only thing that could save me now.

I took a deep breath and prepared myself for Broadsword Man's attack. I stopped all his blows, but I felt the ice in my hand shaking after each blow, and I realized I didn't have much more time. Then I noticed something: When he spun to the right, the muscles on his left leg became much tenser than when he spun the other way around, and also tenser than his right leg. I allowed myself a tiny smile. _Gotcha._

I waited until we were face to face, dancing in a never-ending exchange of blows, and then I stretched out my right leg and kneeled him on his left thigh.

He flinched and drew back, leaning his weight on his right leg. Then I landed a blow on that leg and he stumbled back, but I gave him no time. I rammed into him and pushed him on his shoulders, and he was sent skidding back on the ground.

'Two' I said, panting slightly.

He jumped to his feet and charged towards me, more furious than ever. I saw it coming, and waited until he was almost on me to jump aside and reach out my leg. He obviously fell down again.

'Three' I said. 'I win'

He jumped to his feet, his face contorted with rage. 'No! That's not fair! You tricked me!' and he strolled towards me, pointing one sword at me.

'I didn't. I didn't even bend. I fought you with nothing but an ice dagger and I knocked you down three times. I won fair and square' I said calmly, and then I gave him my back to look at Iroh. 'Uncle, take the money'

I heard Broadsword Man's steps quickly approaching, and I drew some water from my waterbag, and as I spun around I splashed it at him. Then I turned him into a block of ice, and I pinned him to a tree.

'Good luck getting out of there' I said, waving my hand and smiling with intense satisfaction, and then Iroh and I walked towards the village.

At about half the way, Zuko joined us, wearing his Earth Kingdom clothes.

'You did it!' he said, impressed.

'Was there any doubt?' I asked smugly.

'I didn't think you'd make it' he confessed.

'Thanks, Zuko' I snapped back sarcastically. 'Your confidence in me is really motivating'

* * *

_**A/N: Okay, so I hope this meets your expectations. R&R!**_


	14. Shopping

**A/N: A few things I'd like to say before moving on with the next chapter. The story is going to change a little now. First off, Kira and Zuko will start to draw closer now that they're living together. It will take them a while to accept their feelings though. It may be a little cheesy, but like Bryke said: We love cheesy teen romance. And I do too.**

**Besides, I'm gonna start to feature some songs. Kira didn't learn to play the guitar for nothing after all :). Disclaimer in advance, I don't own any of the songs. And further ahead, around chapter 20, there will be two chapters filled with songs. I live by this sort of motto that for every moment of a relationship, or for every feeling, there's a song. And since neither Zuko nor Kira are good at expressing their feelings, music is gonna help them get together. I understand you may feel they're going a little OOC, and I'm working really hard to avoid that, but I accept it may happen. Still, I just adore them together and I get all happy for them when I reread the story. I just hope you enjoy it as much as I do.**

**Countless thank you's to all the people who have taken the time to review. Every review is appreciated. I literally hug my computer every time I get one lol. **

**And with no further ado, here goes the next:**

* * *

**Chapter 14: Shopping**

With the gold coins we went to the market the next day, and purchased everything we needed to survive for a fortnight. But our journey seemed like it'd never end, and I began hunting again after a week, to ration our supplies. In spite of that, we ran out of food shortly after.

One night we were sitting around our usual bonfire, eating the last rabbit I had hunted. Iroh finished his part, and then his stomach rumbled loudly.

He patted his belly. 'I'm gonna get thinner at this rate' he joked. But I had had a bad hunting day, barely getting any prey, and I felt guilty.

'I'm sorry, Iroh' I muttered.

'It's not your fault' Zuko interceded. 'We just need to find another way of getting what we need'

'But how, Zuko?' I asked, skeptical. 'Begging is no use, we're not performers, and we can't work because we leave each village after one day'

Zuko sighed absentmindedly.

'Don't worry, Kira. We will find a way' Iroh said confidently, patting my shoulder.

'I'm off to sleep' I replied gruffly, and slipped inside my sleeping bag without another word.

I woke up in the middle of the night, alert at some noise I had heard, and scanned our camp as I crouched, ready to attack any intruder. But I gasped when I noticed Zuko's sleeping bag was empty. I got to my feet and tiptoed to his backpack, reaching out for the katanas.

Great was my surprise when I didn't find them, and the Blue Spirit mask and the black suit weren't there either.

I stood up and closed my eyes, listening to the silent woods. Above the ringing of the crickets and some birds singing, I heard a soft crack nearby, at my right.

I sneaked in that direction, careful and silent as a ghost. But I froze dead on the spot when something cold touched my throat.

With a sly smile, I grabbed Zuko's wrist and pulled down the katana that was gently touching my neck. He did not try to stop me, and I guessed he was smiling beneath the mask.

'You're going to kill me of a heart attack' I whispered to the Blue Spirit standing at my side. 'What are you doing here anyway?'

But he didn't answer nor move. When I was beginning to grow impatient, I heard some weird noises up to my left, about a mile away.

'A carriage?' I guessed.

He nodded.

'I'm bait' I said, and started towards the noise, but the Blue Spirit caught my wrist. I turned to him, and he shook his head.

'You can't leave me out of this!' I complained, a little louder, and he took a finger to his mouth. Then he signaled me to follow him.

We sneaked between the trees until we reached a road that showed signs of being heavily transited. The sound of the creaking wheels of the carriage was a lot closer now. The Blue Spirit grabbed my hand to call my attention. When I looked at him, he pointed at his face and then at mine. I understood. I had no mask.

'I'll be bait' I insisted, but he shook his head again. After a few seconds wondering what was the matter with him, I understood. If they saw my face we might get in trouble later if anybody recognized me. I thought for a minute. I knew the Blue Spirit could do it alone, but I didn't want to just stay there and watch.

'Listen up' I told him, grabbing his arm, 'you take the driver and the horses, I'll jump in and take the money, and I'll make sure no one sees me. I have a plan'

The Blue Spirit stared at me through blank eyes for a minute, and then he nodded curtly.

'I just have to go back to the camp for a minute, but I'll be back so soon you won't even notice' I whispered. He looked at me and I guessed he was either glaring at me or rolling his eyes, but I couldn't know for sure.

I sneaked away and quietly ran back to the camp. I picked up a heavy woolen blanket and raced back to the Blue Spirit.

'I'm back!' I announced in a whisper, and he grabbed my arm and pulled me backwards, taking a finger to his mouth. I had arrived right on time, they were only a few meters away, and we couldn't let them see us.

'I'll need one katana' I said, and he handed me the blade, as the carriage was almost on us.

We exchanged glances and the Blue Spirit jumped out to attack. I waited until the carriage had passed in front of me and climbed on it from the back. Then I opened a hole on the roof with the katana and immediately threw the blanket inside.

As the man inside struggled with the heavy blanket, I spotted a little chest inside. I leaned in and caught it with the tip of my katana. I quickly pulled it up. Before jumping off the carriage, I used the tip of the sword to pick up the blanket, and hurried back into the woods in complete silence, the entire operation taking less than a minute.

I walked away, alert, and this time I was prepared. When the katana appeared in front of my neck, I blocked it with the sword in my hand, and smiled at the disguised Prince.

Zuko removed the mask and smiled at me as well, and I felt something warm stir inside of me as we sneaked back to our camp, still hearing the loud moans of the merchant we had just stolen from.

'How much?' he whispered to me.

'Hmmm… let me count… 500 golden coins! We're rich!' I whispered back in joy, and before I realized what I was doing, I had flung my arms around his neck, hugging him. I immediately broke out, blushing. I was too busy feeling embarrassed to notice Zuko was blushing too.

'I'm… I'm sorry. Guess I was just happy about our triumph. Why you didn't wake me up before?' I said, referring to the fact he had decided to go on his own instead of trusting me.

'Because you didn't like it last time I stole something, and I guessed you'd be just as naïve now' he answered.

I rolled my eyes. 'This is different. One thing is to steal from poor people, when what you take is all they have, and another is to steal from rich people who can afford a carriage or two'

Zuko snorted, looking away.

'And we really do need it this time' I added in a softer voice.

We slipped into our sleeping bags, and when I opened my eyes again, it was dawn. Iroh was still snoring loudly at my side, but Zuko was awake and seemingly waiting for me, crouching beside the fire. I frowned.

'We have to go shopping' he said, answering my unspoken question.

I nodded and got to my feet, stifling a yawn. We put the coins in different small bags, trying to make as little noise as possible, and sneaked out of the camp. Then we climbed on the ostrich, and rode it to the nearest village.

I realized after a mile that I had never ridden the ostrich all alone with Zuko, and I was suddenly very aware of the way my arms were closed around his muscled torso. I also became aware of his strong arms and the warmth he emanated. My face started to feel hot, and I swallowed hard. What was wrong with me? It was Zuko! We were friends!

'Do you think Uncle will worry when he wakes up and sees we're gone?' Zuko asked, interrupting my confusing thoughts.

'No way' I reassured him. 'All our stuff is back at the camp. He'll probably think we've gone hunting or something.'

He tilted his head, and I bit my lower lip, uncomfortable for some unknown reason.

'Are you going to buy something for yourself?' I asked him, to break the tension. Well, my tension, for he seemed calm, as usual.

'What I want cannot be purchased in a simple market' he answered, and then we fell silent again for a couple of minutes. 'Will you buy something for yourself?' he asked coolly.

I sighed. 'I don't know. I shouldn't…'

'I think you should. You've earned it' he said softly.

I felt myself blushing, and I felt something fluttering in my stomach, as if it had been suddenly filled with butterflies. Had he just complimented me?

'Well, thanks' I replied shyly. 'You've earned it too'

'What do you mean?'

'If you want something I think you should get it'

'Didn't I just tell you that what I want can't be bought in a market?' he replied angrily. 'What's the matter with you today? Did you get little sleep?'

'Mhhmmhm' I grunted for all answer.

Indeed, what the HELL was wrong with me today? I looked aside, but the scent of smoke that his skin seemed to produce all the time, and that was now flooding my nose centimeters away from his neck was definitely not helping.

Fortunately, we arrived at the next village soon after that. I quickly jumped off the ostrich and blurted something unintelligible out, not looking at Zuko, and hoping that a sudden hole appeared on the ground and buried me as I scurried away, my face steaming red.

Being away from him helped clear my immediate confusion, and I walked around the market absentmindedly as I tried to analyze my feelings. Something had changed inside of me in regards to Zuko, I couldn't deny that. But it was probably a consequence of the lack of sleep. Yeah, definitely, it must be that.

But then I saw Zuko buying some groceries nearby and I felt the colors rise in my face again as I spied on him.

No, this was something different. I had to deal with it or I'd be unable to talk to him, and then he'd be too mad to talk to me and I realized that was the last thing I wanted.

Wait, why would I _want_ Zuko to talk to me? And why did I feel so confused when he was near me? He had always made me feel safe, what had changed? I threw my arms to the sky, exasperated. And then I noticed noon had given way to early afternoon and I hadn't bought anything. I went for the tea, but in the way I came across a little store with musical instruments hanging around. I smiled to myself with satisfaction.

'Excuse me' I addressed the man behind the counter. 'How much for a guitar?'

'30 pieces of gold'

I scratched my chin, thoughtfully. That was quite some money. But I really missed my guitar, and playing might help me feel better. Besides, Zuko had said I should go and buy something if I wanted to.

'I'll take it' I said cheerfully, and I gave him the golden pieces.

Having my musical companion back with me made me feel so good that I shopped for everything we needed in less than two hours, and I walked back to the entrance of the village, where I spotted Zuko sitting on the ground, waiting patiently. I tilted my head. Something had changed within him as well. He had never been a patient man.

I approached him, and he glared at me.

'What took you so long?'

I showed him my guitar, smiling. He rolled his eyes.

'Can we afford that?' he asked, his tone carefully controlled, but I knew him well enough now to see that his anger was rising up inside of him.

Well, that sounded a little more like Zuko.

'Umm… I guess' I replied stupidly, slapping myself mentally after the words left my mind.

Zuko got to his feet and stood close to me, his golden eyes sparking up with rage. But then his expression softened, and a light blush colored his cheeks, as he pulled a jade teapot from behind his back.

'I got this for Uncle' he said, looking embarrassed, but my mind had been blocked. All I could think was how adorable he looked when he blushed.

WHAT?

I mean… What. The. Hell, Kira.

I shook my head lightly to get rid of those disturbing thoughts. I needed to get away from him, and quickly. I managed to put a blank expression on my face and nodded.

'He'll love it.'

A tiny smile formed on his face, and I looked away, climbing on the ostrich. Now I'd take the reigns. If I spent another minute smelling the scent that came from his neck, I did not respond for myself. _Ugh, for crying out loud!_

But a visible shiver ran down my spine when his arms closed around my waist.

'Are you cold or what?' he snapped, obviously thinking I was sick or something. I shook my head and pulled from the reigns, taking the ostrich at a faster pace than on our way to the village.

The only way I managed to stay sane in that journey was to repeat a single phrase inside my head, ignoring everything else: I need some sleep I need some sleep I need some sleep I need some sleep.

Thank the spirits, we arrived at our camp really quickly, and I immediately jumped off the ostrich and walked away, pretending to have a headache, and not giving Zuko time enough to say anything.

Of course, I took my guitar with me. I walked away, feeling dizzy from all the images, thoughts and memories that started to run around my head like a tornado, all about Zuko.

_What's wrong with me? Am I sick? Why can't I get him out of my head? Zuko, leave me ALONE._

My confusion and pain grew and grew until I couldn't take it anymore and I collapsed on my knees on the ground beside a tree, and I hugged my knees and began to rock back and forth in a zombie like manner, as I tried to guess what was wrong with me.

And then, a sudden realization pierced my mind like a stab to my heart, and I felt paralyzed, as my heart skipped a beat: I had _feelings_ for him. Was I…?

No, I thought, shaking my head lightly, I didn't _love_ him. I couldn't. Ugh, it sounded disgusting! Cheesy, girly and childish! No way, that was not me.

I remembered everything he'd done, how he had captured me, threatened my people, locked me in a cell, etc, and with immense relief, I realized I simply liked him… and maybe, just maybe, I could admit I was slightly attracted to him. I mean, he was a Prince after all. It was only fair.

But love? Noo way. I couldn't even think of the word without shivering in disgust. Love was for your family. I loved my sister and brother… I cared for Iroh… and I liked Zuko. I could accept that he was handsome, particularly now that his hair had begun to grow back, and I may be attracted to him, physically, but no love. Absolutely not.

I sighed in relief, and then a few branches broke nearby and Iroh's round figure appeared in the clearing. I got to my feet to receive him.

'Kira, what happened?' he said, and I noticed fear in his voice.

'Nothing' I lied. 'I needed some fresh air away from the fire'.

I looked away, into the forest, and I noticed that the sun had sunk and it was night already.

Iroh eyed me, raising an eyebrow, but then his expression darkened and he looked down.

'I have something to tell you. Zuko's gone.'

At that, I suddenly felt like someone had replaced my insides with lead.

'W-What?' I managed to mutter, as I tried to actually make sense of what he was telling me. I stood there, speechless, and Iroh hugged me warmly.

'I'm sorry'

But I couldn't breathe. Then I shoved Iroh off and ran back to the bonfire. The ostrich was missing, and Zuko's belongings too. Iroh's pack, the food, and my things were scattered all around the camp, and I saw the jade teapot reflecting the fire.

'No' I mused to myself, and through blurry eyes I tried to make out which way he'd gone.

'Kira!' Iroh yelled, panting behind me. I strolled back to him, and I grabbed his forearms furiously, staring at him through fuzzy eyes, my voice dangerously silky.

'Which way did he go?'

Iroh fixed his eyes on mine, filled with sorrow and compassion.

'You can't follow him'

'WHERE DID HE GO?' I shrieked in his face hysterically. His eyes widened in surprise, but he placed his hands around my forearms instead.

'He needs to find his own way'

I pushed him backwards and turned around, strolling towards the footprints on the ground. I had never felt so out of my mind, ever since the day when they locked me in a cell and I found everything destroyed when I woke up. I felt I was dangerously close to that line. I reminded myself of my promise, but a tidal wave of hurt was swarming through me and I realized I didn't know if I could stick to my promise. I was so upset that I didn't even stop to wonder why this was affecting me that much.

And then suddenly a wall of fire rose in front of me. I turned back to Iroh, who was standing a few meters away from me, glaring at me coldly.

I stared at him defiantly for a few seconds and then tried to walk around the line of fire. But a whole circle of fire surrounded me in a moment.

I stared at Iroh from inside the fire circle, feeling on the very edge of my sanity, the waves of rage pulsing through me.

'Let. Me. Go' I hissed.

'No!' Iroh said, a hard note on his voice I had never heard before. 'I will talk to you, and YOU-WILL-LISTEN.'

Then my defenses collapsed and I fell to the ground, on my knees, and I gave in to heavy sobbing, my shoulders shaking violently. Then the fire around me slowly went down and out, as Iroh approached me. He placed a hand on my shoulder.

'Now, now' he said gently.

'W-Why would he leave us?' I sobbed, looking at him.

'Because he needs to find his own way' he answered gently, rubbing the tears off my face.

'But he can't just leave me, he can't just leave me now' I sobbed, cradling myself in Iroh's arms like a little child. 'I'm so confused! What's wrong with me, Iroh?' I asked the old man in despair.

He sighed.

'You're growing up'

I frowned, mystified. '_What_?'

'It's never easy, but it's necessary'

I huffed, shoving him off. 'You don't understand anything' I scowled, walking away from him and staring at the fire through wet eyes.

'You must let Zuko go' he whispered gently, walking at my side and placing his calming hand on my shoulder.

'What I don't understand' I said coldly, regaining my composure, 'is why would _you_ let him go. I really thought you loved him. And now he's out there alone. Alone, Iroh.'

Iroh fell silent, and I walked to my sleeping bag and slipped in it, giving him my back.

Zuko was gone. And he might never return. And for some reason that I couldn't grasp, that caused me an almost unbearable pain. He was my friend, I tried to reason with myself, it's highly logical that I should feel abandoned and left behind. Besides, he was the link to my destiny. But as the tears rolled down my face, I knew I was not satisfied with that explanation.

But in my current mood, I couldn't think anymore, so I allowed all my misery to flow through my soul and I cried myself to sleep.

* * *

_**A/N: Poor Iroh! Now that I read Miss Mello's review, she's right: Kira's so mean to Iroh sometimes! But well, no one's perfect, right? And I know Iroh understands why she does what she does and that he's not hurt... R&R!**_


	15. New Skills, Part I

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of ATLA, and I don't own the song Decode, it belongs to Paramore, I'm just using it for fun.**

* * *

**Chapter 15: New Skills, Part I**

The next days flew by, because I began to act like a zombie. I woke up each morning and went to hunt, and then I came back and Iroh and I had lunch, to walk the whole afternoon afterwards. I usually spent the whole day without uttering a single word, and spent the nights crying in my sleeping bag, hardly sleeping at all. My nightmares had returned, but they were different now. They weren't scary, they were hurtful, because I dreamt of Zuko every night, and I woke up feeling empty without his warm presence to fill all my space.

I couldn't help but to think that each step drew me farther away from Zuko, and farther away from myself. Somehow both things were linked, and I knew I was slowly changing, becoming a grey person, with no feelings. My smile had disappeared from my face and I feared it would never return.

After a couple of days Iroh began to make silly comments every now and then, trying to create conversation, but I ignored him.

One night, after days of silence, he suddenly put his dish on the ground violently.

'This has to stop. It's enough' he said.

I didn't even raise my eyes to look at him.

He got to his feet and walked at my side, and then he grabbed my shoulders roughly and shook me, but I stared at him blankly.

'Kira!' he yelled, and I noticed concern in his golden eyes. Then he stepped back, releasing me, and closed his eyes sadly, taking a clenched fist to his chest.

'I'm sorry, but you're leaving me no choice'

And then he blasted a jet of fire at me.

My reflexes were quicker than me, and I stepped aside. But I didn't feel like fighting back, so I stood there, staring at him blankly, my arms swinging loose at my sides.

'Fight back!' he yelled in rage, and he threw blast after blast of fire at me. But I simply dodged them.

'Fine' he growled, and he grabbed my guitar and walked to the fire.

'Wait!' I yelled, surprised myself at my reaction. He stopped to glare at me. 'Not the guitar' I muttered.

'What's it good for? You haven't played it since you bought it!' he replied angrily. I had never seen Iroh mad, and I would have been genuinely scared if I wasn't in this weird zombie state.

'I had bought it… for other purposes' I explained in a soft voice, dropping my arm again and ducking my head.

Iroh strolled towards me and roughly placed the guitar in my hands.

'Play.' he ordered.

I looked at him blankly, holding the instrument in my hands.

'Play!' he repeated.

'I don't know what to…' I whispered.

'Just play!' he insisted, making my fingers run over the strings.

I sighed. 'Will you stop nagging me if I do?'

'Yes' he promised.

I sat down and began to gently touch the strings randomly, but the music stirred something inside of me, something I had buried so deep that I had forgotten I even had inside.

Suddenly my hands were dancing over the instrument passionately, and the chords took a familiar course, as I began playing a song I'd heard a long time ago.

Then words appeared in my mouth and I began to sing, first in a cracked voice, then with all the feeling in the world.

'_How can I decide what's right, when you're clouding up my mind?_

_I can't win your losing fight all the time._

_Nor could I ever own what's mine, when you're always taking sides. _

_But you won't take away my pride, not this time. Not this time._

_How did we get here, when I used to know you so well?_

_How did we get here? Well I think I know._

_The truth is hiding in your eyes, just hanging in my tongue._

_It's boiling in my blood._

_But you think that I can't see what kind of man that you are._

_If you are a man at all. But I will figure this one out on my own._

_I'm screaming I love you so._

_How did we get here, when I used to know you so well?_

_How did we get here? Well I think I know._

_Do you see, what we've done? We're gonna make such fools of ourselves. _

_Do you see, what we've done? We're gonna make such fools of ourselves._

_How did we get here, when I used to know you so well?_

_How did we get here? Why won't you show yourself?_

_I think I know._

_I think I know._

_There is something I see in you._

_It might kill me, I want it to be true'_

I finished with my voice shaking and about to break down, but incredibly relieved. I realized I had been holding myself for so long I had forgotten who I thought I was. And I realized something even scarier. I really did feel something for Zuko, something strong, something I did not have the strength to face now, but that I would have to accept sooner or later if I wanted to keep my sanity.

Iroh was staring at me with wide eyes.

'Well, that's a little unexpected' he said, almost to himself, as he recovered from surprise. 'And yet, it is not'

I looked down, ashamed, but feeling better than I had felt in long days.

'How are you feeling?' he asked me politely.

'I don't know' I growled, looking away. 'But I'm feeling something, which is an advance after all'

'Well, I'll make you some tea and we'll go to bed. I promise you'll feel better in the morning' he said, and then he walked to the fire and placed the teapot on it.

Iroh was right. After that first night when I cried out those lyrics from the bottom of my heart, I began to feel better. I tried to avoid exploring how deep did my feelings for Zuko go, because it all scared me, but every night I played the guitar, remembering songs we'd sung, or songs I'd heard somewhere, or sometimes making some of my own.

Playing the guitar allowed me to sing my feelings out, and eventually I began to feel like myself again. I still felt broken by Zuko's disappearance, and I felt like he had stolen my destiny from my hands once again by leaving me, but I knew that somehow I'd have to live on. I began to play Pai Sho with Iroh every night, and I even smiled when he made a funny comment.

Iroh himself seemed pleased with my improvement. We never talked about hurting things, and if we mentioned Zuko, I tried to act optimistic, as if we both knew he'd be fine. Iroh insisted on my playing the guitar and playing Pai Sho and practicing waterbending, and he always had an activity to keep me from falling into depression.

Some days I felt terribly guilty, because I knew that it must have been hard for him to let his nephew go, because Zuko was like a son to him, but I knew that if I asked he wouldn't say the truth. He was too intent on trying to fix me.

And I didn't dare to question myself why I had fallen into depression after Zuko left in the first place. I was too scared of the answer. After all, I was only a girl from the Southern Water Tribe, and he was a Prince. And for what I knew, he had a girlfriend waiting for him on the Fire Nation, that Mai girl Azula had mentioned. So I couldn't afford to fall in love now.

And yet, there was always this tiny voice in my mind that tried to deny everything I thought. _You never know what you have until you lose it_, it used to say. _Do you really think you would have gone almost mad if it was Sokka who left you? You wouldn't, right? That's because you don't feel the same way_.

Those times I had to drown that voice out by singing, talking aloud, or chatting with Iroh, or else I knew I would definitely lose my sanity.

And in the meantime, Iroh helped me practice my bending. He wasn't a waterbender, but he had spent many years among them and he knew some things. He taught me many things about the other nations, and the basics about bending.

One day I continued practicing after dinner, and after I had practiced my moves so many times I could do them with my eyes closed, I decided to try something new. I spied on Iroh and saw him sleeping, with a pleasant smile on his face.

I remembered the moves I had seen in Earthbenders, and mixed some water with dust, to see if I could handle mud. But the water separated itself when I bended it, and the dust was settled on the ground. Then, feeling stupid, I tried Earthbending moves. Of course, nothing happened.

_You idiot. You're not the Avatar, you can't control all elements_, I slapped myself mentally.

_But_, the little voice said inside of me, _you might find new uses for the elements_. Like what? I asked, and the answer was creepy and exciting at once: _New ways of waterbending inspired in the other types of bending_.

I formed up a ball of ice, and stood in a pond of water between the trees. Then I drew a deep breath and I stomped my foot on the pond as I had seen the Earthbenders do. Apart from splashing water away, nothing happened. I raised the ball of ice with waterbending, and I thrust my fist forward. 'Ha!' I yelled, imitating Earthbending. Nothing happened.

I tried to drown my embarrassment as I thought. Perhaps I was using the wrong bending. What about airbending? But I didn't know the moves of airbending, no one had seen an airbender in a hundred years before Aang, and all I had seen of his airbending was his flying with his glider.

And firebending? I knew a lot about firebending, I lived with firebenders. But what could fire do to water? Well, it could turn it to steam. _Yeah, but waterbenders could do that too_. What about heating the water?

Well now that was interesting. I went back to the fire, that wasn't extinguished yet, and I sat down beside it, thinking as I stared into it. How did firebenders heat things? With fire, DUH. But I had seen Iroh warm a cup of tea with just his hands. Perhaps it went beyond just _making_ fire.

I remembered Iroh's lessons to Zuko, and focused on the fire, breathing in and out, hoping and waiting. But the fire did not respond. Nevertheless, when I focused my eyes on the flame, I suddenly thought of Zuko, and I felt something stir inside of me, somewhere in my stomach. I closed my eyes and felt the warmth of the fire on my face, as I tried to pull from that chi center inside of me.

I got it to grow slowly, and then I focused on the jade teapot at my side. I began to move the water in circles, breathing slowly and pulling from that warmth inside of me. As the water began to move faster, a memory suddenly hit my mind: _Me, staring at the water as Iroh made tea, watching the particles and bubbles beginning to move_, and then an epiphany struck me: Boiling water was nothing more than energized water! And if I could somehow channel my energy into the water I might just make it!

I focused harder on the water and the fire. Water and Fire. Water and Fire. Energy. Life. Movement. Warmth. Water. Fire. Movement. Energy. Heat. Fire. Water. Fire. Water. Fire. Water. FIRE. WATER. Suddenly I felt an immense amount of energy exploding inside of me as if my insides were boiling water, and I used all my strength to channel all that energy over my arms and into the water.

And then I felt it. I opened my eyes and I saw the water boiling. I carefully approached my index finger to it and I felt the heat it emanated. I beamed triumphantly and tried to waterbend it, but I was exhausted. I barely had enough energy left to crawl to my sleeping bed before I fainted.

* * *

'Get up! Kira! What's wrong with this girl?' Iroh's voice brought me from deep sleep, and I opened my eyes for a moment before my heavy lids fell over them again.

'Are you okay?' Iroh asked, his voice a little concerned now.

'Mmmghgmmhgh' I grunted, as I rolled over to continue sleeping.

'Kira! Come on! We must go!' he kept shaking me up.

'Go away!' I growled, trying to shove his arms off.

'What's the matter with you?' he asked, and I guessed from his voice that he was frowning.

'I'm tired, just get away and let me sleep' I groaned.

'Did you stay up all night again?' he asked angrily.

'No' I groaned. And then I remembered the events of last night, and I sprung up in excitement. 'Iroh! I remember what happened!' but then my head felt heavy and I had to hold it with my hand. 'Ugh. I'm not feeling well'

'Hmmm' Iroh said, and I guessed he'd be stroking his chin, because I had closed my eyes again. Then I heard a low thump as he sat down. 'Okay, tell me what happened last night'

'Well… I was practicing…' I remembered, as I saw the images from last night in my head. '…but I was bored of the same moves, and I wanted to do something different… So I tried to earthbend…'

'You tried _what_?' he asked, incredulous. I felt my face going red with embarrassment, but I continued my recount of the events.

'I tried to earthbend… But it didn't work… and I don't know about Airbending so I moved on to Firebending… and I wanted to heat up the water…' Iroh gasped, and then I opened my eyes as the last events from the night before flooded my mind. 'I made it! Iroh, I made it! I used this energy from inside of me, and I channeled it to the water, and it began to boil! Iroh, I made water boil!' I yelled excitedly.

He was staring at me, his mouth open.

'Really? And how did you do it?'

I grimaced. 'I don't know. I just focused on the fire and the water until that energy began to…' I used my hands to illustrate what I had felt. '… it began to move and boil inside of me, and then I channeled it to the water…'

Iroh's eyes shrank with suspicion. 'Where did the tug of the energy come from?'

'From my stomach'

'And how did it feel?'

'Like… warmth. Like love. Like all the hugs I've given and received in my life. Like watching the people I love smiling'

'You've found the fire source inside of you' he said, impressed in spite of himself.

I gaped at him.

'But I can't firebend! I mean, I'm a waterbender, not the Avatar!' I said.

'No, of course not. But you can use that to apply the characteristics of fire into your element, which is water'

'Like heating it?'

'Yes, and turn it to steam… And… well, there's not much more you can do with fire and water' he finished, scratching his chin.

'But it's still great!' I beamed.

'Indeed. Indeed. You see, life can always surprise you, Kira' he said, in one of his strikes of wisdom. 'Now, let's see, what happened after you made the water boil?'

'I don't know' I said, looking down. 'I was so worn out that I barely reached the sleeping bag and I fainted. And I'm still not feeling well'

'Ahh, that's because you used all the energy you had. Doing that is dangerous, but I think we can train so that you can improve your technique without risking your life' he said thoughtfully.

I grabbed my head. 'I'm really tired, Iroh, do you mind if I sleep a few more hours?'

'Not at all, dear, not at all. You have given me much to think about, and I'll prepare some tea for when you're feeling better'.

'Sure' I whispered, and I abandoned myself into sleep again.

* * *

Some more days passed by and Iroh and I began to train in the water heating technique, as I called it. Iroh helped me find that little tug inside my stomach that was fueled by life and love, and he taught me how to expand that energy and channel it, and soon I found myself boiling water without tiring too much. Still, it required the same amount of energy than a sword duel, but I could stay awake afterwards.

And soon enough I began to waterbend the boiling water, which was a little more difficult, because regular water was adaptable and soothing, but boiling water was like handling fire, it moved and twitched with a will of its own, and handling it was not like handling cold water. Nevertheless, I trained every day, non stop, and soon I could splash the scalding water or whip it, surrounding myself with steam as soon as it made contact with the cold earth.

I had even tried it on myself, to see how it would affect any possible enemy, and I had got a scar on the back of my right hand as prize.

The only thing that kept bothering me was that it took me a lot of time and strength to do it, and I wouldn't have that advantage on a battle, but I practiced hard and stubbornly every day. We were advancing on the road each day less because I wandered off to practice on my own.

One morning I returned particularly happy from my training session, because I had managed to boil water while holding it in a sphere in the air, and all that in record time and strength, when I found Iroh smiling warmly, and sipping his tea sitting on a rock.

'Iroh! I managed to… What are you doing?' I said, curious. It was like Iroh to drink tea at any time, anywhere, but he never did it on such uncomfortable places as that rock.

He beamed. 'I ran into a gorgeous little blind girl, and we had a pleasant conversation'

'A blind girl? In the woods?' I asked, incredulously.

'Indeed, and it was really interesting what she had to say' he nodded, closing his eyes and sipping his tea with evident pleasure. I smiled as I approached him, realizing he wouldn't say another word. I hadn't seen him so content in weeks.

We packed up after a light lunch and followed our way.

'Hmm, we're getting closer' Iroh muttered, almost to himself.

'I wonder' I said aloud, happily, 'where is it exactly that you're taking me'

'Oh, you'll see' he replied enigmatically.

* * *

**_R&R!_**


	16. New Skills, Part II

**Chapter 16: New Skills, Part II.**

Soon afterwards, we reached what looked like a ghost town.

'This is where we're headed?' I asked incredulously. 'A ghost town?'

'Ah, but there is someone there, and it's not a ghost' he pointed out, and squinting I saw a couple of figures running around. Then one of them hopped in the air, using a stick.

'The Avatar!' I yelled, and I dropped my pack as I rushed forward.

I saw jets of blue fire, and I saw Azula was reaching her target. But then I also saw a boomerang flying out and a girl dressed in blue running after the Princess.

'Katara!' I yelled, but she didn't listen.

And as I reached the main street, a jet of blue fire threw a tall figure with black hair out of the wall of a building and sent him skidding on the dirt, and my heart began to bang against my chest when I reached the figure and I saw that the young man had a large scar over his left eye.

'Zuko!'

He opened his eyes at recognizing my voice. 'Kira! How'd you…?'

'Get up, there's no time for that!' I snapped, and I grabbed his right arm and pulled him up again. 'Where's Azula?'

'I think she ran that way' he said, pointing at an alleyway. We both rushed forward to it, watching Aang, Katara, Sokka and a little girl dressed in green chasing the Princess, who suddenly crashed against Iroh's belly.

We all approached and encircled the evil princess, each one of us adopting our stance. She looked around and noticed she had no escape.

'Well, well, look at this' she sneered. 'Enemies and traitors all working together. I'm done' she raised her arms in a gesture of surrender. 'I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor'

But then her eyes gleamed with triumph and she shot a bolt of fire at Iroh, who seemed to be momentarily distracted. He spinned around with a whelp. Zuko and I yelled at the same time, and then as we turned to Azula, all of us attacked her at once.

The combined forces of water, earth, air and fire caused a huge explosion. But when the dust cleared, the Princess had disappeared.

Then I turned to Iroh, who had fallen on the ground, unconscious. The gang closed in on us, but Zuko yelled at them, evidently angry and scared.

'Get away from us!'

I quickly pulled Iroh's shirt open as he groaned, and we could see an angry burn. I drew water from my waterbag and placed it on his chest, but then I heard Katara's voice.

'Zuko, I can help!'

'Leave!' Zuko said, flaring a flame at them.

'Zuko, don't be stupid! Iroh needs help now!' I yelled angrily at him, but he pushed me away.

'No!' he said, and he leaned protectively over Iroh.

'Argh!' I got to my feet, enraged. 'You're the most stubborn and stupid Prince I've ever met! If Iroh dies now, it'll be your fault!'

But he ignored me, and I turned at the kids looking at us with their eyes wide open and different expressions of surprise at meeting me there, in the middle of nowhere.

Sokka's eyes glimmered in joy, and I knew that he wanted to hug me, but I couldn't leave Zuko and Iroh now, and the gang needed to go before Zuko changed his mind.

'Kira! I can't believe you're okay! We thought–' my brother said, rushing towards me. I stopped him with a hand.

'I know what you thought, Sokka. And I'm so glad to see you guys are all well, but you need to go now' I said darkly.

'Come with us' Sokka said, his eyes pleading.

I bit my lower lip, wishing I could. 'I can't, Sokka. I'm sorry. I promise I'll explain when we meet again, but for now you seriously have to go before Zuko changes his mind'

'Why are you protecting him?' Aang asked, his big gray eyes showing deep disappointment.

'I'm not protecting him, I'm trying to protect _you_!' I replied. 'That's why you must go. If he decides to track you down I'll send him the other way, but I have to stay with Iroh now'

'Yes, you should' the small girl said with a tiny voice. I looked at her and I saw her blank eyes. Then I suddenly remembered Iroh's words. _A little blind girl_. And suddenly I understood why he was distracted when Azula attacked, but I decided it'd be best not to say anything.

'Come on, Aang, Sokka, let's go. She will be fine' Katara said, herding them away.

I watched them go with my eyes wet, and Sokka turned his head to look one last time towards me, and I saw the sadness in his blue eyes, mixed with disappointment and some resentment.

I bit my lip, as my fists clenched in frustration, and I turned my eyes from my leaving family to kneel down beside Iroh again.

'Get off my way' I ordered, pushing Zuko away. This time, he did move out. I drew some water and placed it on Iroh's chest, and then I turned it to a slice of ice, sticking it to his chest.

'What are you doing? It'll burn him!' Zuko said, but I chuckled.

'Of course not. It's just until we can find a quiet place to camp and where I can heal him properly' I replied.

We carried Iroh to a half destroyed house less than a mile away from the village and we took him inside, without exchanging a word, and I sent Zuko to pick up our stuff, particularly the package that I had dropped, where I had a number of bandages due to my practice with boiling water.

On the meantime, I lay Iroh properly over a sleeping bag, and opened up his shirt again, turning the ice to water again to prevent it from burning the skin even further.

When Zuko came back, I boiled the water, this time through normal means, because I didn't want to show Zuko my new technique just yet, and placed the bandages in the pot, with some plants that I had found were really great for healing up burns, like mint and eucalyptus. I waited until the bandages had turned green from the leaves and the water was cold enough to stick my hands in it, and removed the bandages. Then I encased them in ice to cool them faster, and once they were, I applied them to Iroh's skin.

Zuko watched my every move, sitting on the ground with his back against the wall, a few meters away from me. When I finished applying the bandages, I closed Iroh's shirt and rubbed the sweat from my forehead.

'That should do' I muttered. Then I turned to Zuko. 'We'll have to change them twice a day. I hope you paid attention to what I did, because I won't be able to do it every time'

He nodded.

Only then I devoted myself to setting the place, organizing the packs as if we were camping, and I checked our supplies. We had enough for tonight's dinner and tomorrow's lunch, but if we wanted to dine tomorrow I'd have to go hunting. Zuko stared at me all the time, but said nothing.

Then I set the fire and prepared some tea. I offered Zuko a cup, and he took it reluctantly.

Only then I gave myself time to notice I was sitting across Zuko, and that even though I was worried about Iroh now, I was still attracted to the Prince. My feelings were running inside of me like in a maelstrom, but as I sipped my tea I realized I could control it now.

'Why did you leave us?' I whispered, not looking at Zuko.

The silence was so long that I thought he wouldn't answer. 'Because I needed some time' he said softly.

'Away from us?'

'Yes'

There was a minute of silence.

'It hurt' I said, my voice shaky.

'I'm sorry' he said, his voice barely a whisper, and I looked at him. He was staring at me, and in his beautiful golden eyes I saw he actually was sorry.

I looked away, unsure.

'Was it worth it?'

'I learned from it, yes'

'I'm glad' I answered coldly.

The silence extended to long minutes, as I tried to adjust to his warm presence again. I looked at Iroh. His face was a little pale, but his face showed a peaceful smile.

'He missed you so much' I said, staring at Iroh.

'I know. So did I.' Zuko answered.

And then I fixed my eyes on his, and we stared at each other for a second.

'I missed you, too' I heard myself whisper. But before he could answer I got to my feet, grabbed my guitar, and left, rubbing the tears off my face.

* * *

The next day Iroh wakened when I was out, hunting. When I arrived I saw both men sipping tea and talking quietly.

'So, Uncle, I've been thinking,' Zuko was saying, 'It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I'm going to need to know more advanced firebending if I want to stand a chance against her. I know what you're going to say: she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her'

'No, she's crazy and she needs to go down' Iroh replied, as I walked inside holding two rabbits. He smiled at me and I returned the smile, and I silently sat on a corner to skin the rabbits with a pair of daggers I'd purchased about a week ago in the last village where Iroh and I stopped. He turned his gaze back to Zuko. 'It's time to resume your training'

As Iroh prepared more tea and I skinned the animal, Zuko heard intently.

'Lightning is a pure expression of firebending, without aggression' Irog began, 'It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire. It is precise and deadly, like Azula. To perform the technique requires peace of mind'

He handed a cup of tea to Zuko, and another one to me, but I shook my head: my hands were full of blood from the animal and I didn't want to stain Iroh's pretty cups.

'I see' Zuko said. 'That's why we're drinking tea: To calm the mind'

'Oh, yeah, good point!' Iroh agreed cheerfully. 'I mean, yes'

A while later, when I had finished the rabbits and the men their tea, we went outside, Zuko to learn and I to listen… and try to learn something, too.

'There is energy all around us' Iroh said. 'The energy is both yin and yang, positive energy and negative energy.' I wondered at that moment if the energy I felt when I boiled water was positive or negative. 'Only a few select firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance and in a moment the positive and negative energy come crashing back together. You provide release and guidance, creating lightning'

Then he signaled us to step back, and he drew a long arch with his right hand, and then repeated it with the left. Then lightning appeared between them, and he extended his right arm and the lightning shot away to the distance. We gasped, impressed.

'I'm ready to try it!' Zuko said enthusiastically.

'Remember, once you separate the energy, you do not command it. You are simply its humble guide' Iroh warned, rubbing his injured shoulder. 'Breathe first' he commanded the young Prince.

But Zuko created an explosion rather than lightning, and Iroh shook his head sadly.

I silently watched him try again and again, without success. Soon the Prince grew frustrated.

'Why can't I do it?' he burst out. 'Instead of lightning, it keeps exploding on my face! Like everything always does!'

Iroh walked up to him, compassion written all over his face. 'I was afraid this might happen. You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you'

Both Zuko and I looked at him. 'What turmoil?' the Prince inquired angrily.

'Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away'

'But I don't feel any shame at all! I'm as proud as ever!'

I snorted loudly. He glared at me, but before he could say anything, Iroh continued tutoring him.

'Prince Zuko, pride is not the object of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame'

'Well, my life has been nothing but humbling lately' Zuko mumbled.

Iroh looked aside. Then his eyes brightened up. 'I have another idea. I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula doesn't know, because I made it up myself!' he said cheerfully, pointing at himself with his thumb. I smiled lightly.

Then he picked up a stick and began drawing pictures in the ground. I tiptoed closer to get a better look. As he drew each one of them, he explained them.

'Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want. Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring. Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor!' Then he smiled, and I smiled too, remembering Aang's cheerfulness back at the South Pole. But Zuko's face was stoic, so he continued. 'Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a sense of community and love that holds them together through anything. You have a live example on Kira here' and then he pointed at me, and Zuko turned around to look at me. I stuck my tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes and turned to Iroh again.

'Why are you telling me these things?'

'It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it only from one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole' Iroh pointed out.

'All this four elements talk is sounding like Avatar stuff' Zuko commented.

'It is the combination of the four elements in one person is what makes the Avatar so powerful. But, it can make you more powerful too' he said, poking at Zuko's chest with the stick. 'You see, the technique I am about to teach you is one I learned by studying the waterbenders'

I tilted my head with interest, but still watching in silence.

'Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy. A waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponents' energy against them' and then he glanced at me quickly, before turning his attention back to Zuko. 'I learned a way to do this with lightning'

'You can teach me to redirect lightning?' Zuko asked excitedly.

Iroh nodded. 'In fact, I think Kira will be a better teacher than me'. Zuko turned back to look at me, intrigued.

I blushed. 'No way, Iroh, you're the boss'

'Please, Kira, come over here'

I sighed, getting to my feet and walking to him reluctantly, and I stood at Zuko's side.

Iroh placed a hand on my shoulder. 'You must teach him to channel the energy through his body.'

'Why me?' I asked, pouting. I didn't want to be that close to Zuko. I wasn't sure if I had forgiven him yet, and I wasn't sure how I'd react to his closeness. Iroh gave me a large grin and motioned his head towards Zuko.

I sighed again, giving up, and then I stepped towards Zuko.

'If you let the energy in your body flow, the water, or well, in this case, the lightning, will follow it' Then I showed him the classic move, pointing with my hands at one point in the sky, and channeling the energy through all my body to the other side and backwards. 'You must create a pathway from your fingertips up your arm to your shoulder and down into your stomach' As I talked, I illustrated with my hands. 'The stomach is the source of energy in your body'

'It is called the sea of chi' Iroh chimed in. 'Only in my case, it is more like a vast ocean' and he patted his big belly with a pleasant laugh.

Zuko rolled his eyes and looked back at me, my hands in my abdomen. 'You direct it up again and out the other arm. The stomach detour is critical.'

'You must not let the lightning pass through your heart' Iroh warned. 'Or the damage could be deadly'

'You might want to try a physical motion to get a feel for the pathway's flow. Like this' I said, and I showed him the move again. Zuko imitated me, trying to concentrate, but his arms were stiff as a branch. 'No, no, your arms must not be rigid, let it flow through you, like water' I said, and I grabbed his arm, trying to loosen up his posture. But he gave me a confused look, and I suddenly became aware of our closeness, blushing involuntarily. His familiar scent of smoke filled my nose and I blinked several times to clear up my head.

I stepped back, and showed him the move in slow motion. 'Think you're like water, fluid.' He opened his mouth to argue, but I cut him. 'Yes, I know you're a firebender, but I know you can do this. Come on, like a bird waving its wings, fluid, graceful…'

Slowly he began to get it. 'Relax, Zuko, nobody's testing you' I said. He fixed his eyes on mine, trying to concentrate, and I tried to forget the fluttering of my heart as he began to move more gracefully. I smiled.

'That's right' I approved. 'Now, as you continue to do the move, close your eyes and focus on the energy through you. Feel it wave inside your stomach, going one way, then the other. One way, then the other. Coming and going, like the waves of the sea'

Zuko kept doing it for a while, his eyes closed. I glanced at Iroh, and I smiled when I saw pride and approval in his eyes.

I stepped closer to Zuko, and adapted to his rhythm. 'Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up and out?'

'I think so!' he answered excitedly, opening his golden eyes in surprise.

'Come on' I encouraged. 'You've got to feel the flow'

We kept on practicing the rest of the afternoon, until Iroh deemed Zuko good enough.

'Excellent! You've got it!' he beamed, as he squeezed Zuko's shoulder lovingly.

Zuko bowed to me. 'I have a great teacher' he said with a smile. I blushed again and looked away. 'Great!' he said clapping his hands once. 'I'm ready to try it with real lightning!'

I widened my eyes, and Iroh did the same.

'What, are you crazy? Lightning is very dangerous'

'I thought that was the point' Zuko said, annoyed. 'You teaching me how to protect myself from it!'

'But I'm not going to shoot lightning at you!' Iroh replied, waving his arms around frantically. 'If you are lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all'

Zuko clenched his fists, looking down with rage.

'Well, if you won't help me, I'll find my own lightning' he growled, and he turned back and started towards the ostrich.

'Zuko, wait!' I yelled, and ran behind him. I didn't want to lose him again. I grabbed the reigns of the ostrich as he was about to leave, unable to contain my tears.

'What are you doing?' he yelled angrily. I looked at him, and his face was blurry through my tears.

'Promise you'll be back soon. Promise me!' I begged.

He fixed his golden eyes on me, with a strange expression that I could not decipher.

'I promise' he said softly.

Then I let go of the reigns and stepped back. He stared at me for another second and then he pulled the reigns and rode away, and I watched him go, feeling an empty space in my heart. But a space that was about to be filled again soon. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned around to Iroh, rubbing my tears.

'Come on, I have to change your bandages'

* * *

**_A/N: So what do you think of all of this? I'd love to get some more feedback on the story and how it is developing... R&R_**


	17. Cheesy Teen Romance

**Disclaimer: I do not own the song "Road Trippin'". It belongs to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and I've used it for entertainment purposes only.**

* * *

**Chapter 17: Cheesy Teen Romance**

Zuko kept his promise and showed up the next day, just in time for lunch. We quickly packed up after lunch and left, but we used the ostrich to carry the bundles, now that we had it back, and eventually we used it to carry Iroh when he became too tired, while Zuko and I walked.

We camped for the night some miles away, and after dinner I grabbed my guitar and started towards the woods, as I had gotten used to, but Zuko's voice stopped me.

'Kira, where are you going?'

'To play my guitar' I replied quickly, confused about why that should be a problem.

'Why don't you play it here?' he suggested.

I frowned. My guitar moment was when I could be alone to meditate and examine my feelings, and the music served as therapy. It was a very private thing.

'Zuko's right' Iroh chimed in. 'Why don't you show him your beautiful voice?'

'Please, Iroh, not again' I said, rolling my eyes.

'I think it is about time you show us your talent' he said, winking at me.

I stood there for a minute, considering. Maybe I could just play something for them and sneak away once they were asleep. Besides, Zuko's expression was a calm and almost pleasant one, and I hadn't seen him like that, almost comfortable, since I met him, practically, and I didn't want to ruin his happy mood.

'All right' I agreed, and sat cross-legged on the ground. 'What do you want me to play?'

'Oh, I don't know' Iroh replied dismissively. 'Whatever comes to your mind'

I thought for a minute. 'Ok, I got one' I smiled.

'_Road trippin' with my two favorite allies,_

_Fully loaded, we got snacks and supplies._

_It's time to leave this town, it's time to steal away._

_Let's go get lost anywhere in the way to Ba Sing Se._

_Let's go get lost, let's go get lost._

_Blue you sit so pretty west of the one._

_Sparkles light with yellow icing, just a mirror for the sun._

_Just a mirror for the sun. _

_Just a mirror for the sun._

_These smiling eyes are just a mirror for…_

_So much has come before those battles lost and won._

_This life is shining more forever in the sun._

_Now let us check our heads_

_And let us check the surf._

_Staying high and dry's_

_More trouble than it's worth in the sun_

_Just a mirror for the sun._

_Just a mirror for the sun._

_These smiling eyes are just a mirror for…_

_In Ba Sing Se we take some time to linger on_

_We three hunky dories got our snakefinger on_

_Now let us drink the stars_

_It's time to steal away._

_Let's go get lost, right here in the path ahead._

_Let's go get lost, let's go get lost._

_Blue you sit so pretty west of the one._

_Sparkles light with yellow icing, just a mirror for the sun._

_Just a mirror for the sun._

_Just a mirror for the sun._

_These smiling eyes are just a mirror for…_

_These smiling eyes are just a mirror for…_

_Your smiling eyes are just a mirror for…'_

And as I finished the song I found myself staring at Zuko's golden eyes, noticing how they were indeed shining like the sun. But I shook my head quickly. Where did all that cheesiness come from?

'That was beautiful, Kira' Iroh complimented. 'Did you write it yourself?'

'No, of course not. I heard it somewhere'

Zuko had his amber eyes fixed on mine.

'You do have a lovely voice' he muttered, looking deeply impressed.

I giggled and blushed again, looking away. What was the matter with me? 'Nah, I don't. But thanks for the compliment anyway'

'Can you sing other song?' he asked politely, shifting place to get closer to me.

'Ummm…' I babbled, my thoughts partially blocked by his closeness.

'I think we're all tired from a long day and we should go to sleep' Iroh said firmly.

Zuko kept his eyes on me. He was looking at me like I was a very rare fragile bird. I looked down, blushing, and then I looked at him again. He was still looking this way, I saw, and he had got close to me of his own accord. No, it couldn't be, I'd just ignore, but then he'd never looked at me that way before. The intensity in his gaze made me swallow hard, and I tilted my head, trying to show him with my own gaze that he was acting weird.

He shook his head lightly. 'You're right, Uncle, we should go to bed', and I almost sighed with relief.

Nevertheless, every now and then he glanced at me as he prepared for bed, like he had seen something in me he had never seen before.

I gave him my back, beginning to get nervous. Great. Not only I had to deal with strange feelings for him, but now he was also going to start acting strange. I slipped in my sleeping bag and closed my eyes.

When I woke up again, it was barely past dawn. Dang! I had truly fallen asleep. I had wanted to get up at midnight to play my guitar alone.

I sprang up and picked up my spears and traps, ready to go hunting. I sneaked past the sleeping Iroh, but I froze in surprise when Zuko's voice sounded behind me.

'Wait! I'm coming with you' I turned around and shushed him, pointing at Iroh.

He silently got to his feet and joined me. We paced away in the green lively forest, as I tried to keep my ears open to catch sounds of any possible prey.

Zuko was looking down, almost as if he felt out of place, and his simple presence disturbed me a little, for the quick beating of my heart was thundering in my ears, and I feared I wouldn't be able to hunt anything that way.

I cleared my throat. 'Umm… Zuko? Maybe it's not such a great idea that you're coming with me…'

He looked up, an expression of disappointment on his face. 'Why not?'

'Because you're distracting me' I replied.

'Oh' he said. 'I'm sorry. I won't bother you no more' he said coldly, and he turned around.

'Wait!' I said, in spite of myself. He turned around and stared at me expectantly. 'I'm… I haven't shown you my new technique' I blurted out.

His expression turned to a curious one. 'Your what?'

'Just wait' I said, and turned around to examine the clearing we were standing on. 'Yeah, it will do' I mused to myself, and then I dropped my spears on the ground.

'You might want to be prepared' I warned him, and he removed his hat and adopted his stance. 'If I were you I wouldn't let the water touch me'

Then I drew water from my waterbag and turned into a sphere in front of me, and closing my eyes, I began to twirl the ball faster and faster, pulling from the warmth in my stomach, and soon enough I felt the water boil. Then I whipped part of it at Zuko, who dodged it, and gasped when the water hit the tree behind him and it started to hiss. Then I whipped again, and this time he blocked it with a jet of fire. I then adopted the octopus stance, which I had adapted to keep the boiling water away from my skin, and attacked Zuko.

He deflected my attacks skillfully, but in one turn he was slower than he should have and he gasped when the water whip gashed his forearm.

'The water – it's boiling!' he hissed. I immediately dropped the water and ran to him.

'Are you okay?'

'Yes – how did you do that?' he asked, gaping at me.

I smiled smugly. 'I wasn't idle when you ran off. Come, I'll heal you up. After weeks of practice I am rather good at healing this sort of injuries' and I took him back to the camp, boiling some bandages with mint and putting them around his strong arm. His skin was soft as silk, and my fingertips sensed the muscles tight beneath the pale skin.

'That technique is amazing, Kira' he said, staring at my dark-skinned hands bandaging his pale arm. 'Did you invent it?'

'Yup' I tapped his shoulder gently. 'It won't scar, don't worry'

'But have you realized its potential?' he said, staring at me with wide eyes. 'You could beat Azula with that!'

I ducked my head. 'I don't think so. Azula is really quick, and it still takes me some time to heat it up. In a battle that would mean defeat' I fell silent for a moment. 'But I won't stop practicing!' I said cheerfully.

'Don't' he agreed. 'I believe I'm taking time from your hunting'

'Oh, our food!' I gasped, slapping my forehead with my hand and blushing slightly. 'I'll take off. You watch over Iroh, ok? And don't let him touch his bandages! It will probably begin to itch, but he must keep it or it'll go worse' I indicated as I ran off to hunt.

* * *

A few more days passed and we kept travelling. I noticed a change in Zuko. He was still cocky and quick-tempered, but he started to talk to me more often, and of his own accord, which he never did while he was hunting the Avatar. I fortunately began to get over the fact that I was attracted to him, being able to manage the beat of my heart when he was close to me; and as each day ended I went to bed with the feeling that we were becoming good friends.

He always asked me to play the guitar at night, and seemed thoroughly fascinated with my voice. I would always laugh when it became obvious, and he would snap an angry retort – classic Zuko – but his superior attitude had vanished, and he became more of a melancholic person. There was something in his eyes when he looked at me that wasn't there before, but I could never grasp what it actually was.

Some days we sparred on a clearing, and Iroh encouraged us to detect the flaws in the other one's technique, which was something that upset Zuko, but I knew that it was part of our training and accepted it. I always tried to minimize Zuko's flaws, but accepted his critics even though they were sometimes unjustifiedly harsh.

This way I worked on my water-boiling technique, to the point where it was almost automatic. As soon as I focused on that point of warmth in my stomach, the water started to heat up, reaching boiling level in only seconds. I also trained in protecting myself with either my bending or my daggers while Zuko attacked me.

The path seemed the same every day to me, but Iroh said we were getting close. I suspected it was a blatant lie and that we were simply on the run from the Fire Nation.

But on the last week Iroh had insisted that we all rode the ostrich. He seemed to think we'd go faster that way, but the poor beast was so loaded with all three of us that it could barely walk, less run.

One early morning we were travelling through the woods, and Iroh kept shifting and moving in front of me, pouting and pulling faces.

Zuko eyed him. 'Maybe we should camp'

'No, please, don't stop for me!' Iroh said in a pained voice.

I rolled my eyes, but Zuko chose to listen to Iroh, purposely. Iroh began to groan in a low voice, and I huffed loudly. Zuko sighed and pulled the reigns, stopping the animal.

We all dismounted and Iroh sat down on a flat rock, sighing in relief. I rolled my eyes again, but smiling slightly. His old man mannerisms could be annoying sometimes, but I loved him dearly and I tolerated them, because he was like a father to me.

Then I heard a faint crack somewhere behind me, and the ostrich perked up, pricking its ears. I adopted my stance, and readied myself to draw energy from the point of warmth in my stomach, and Zuko immediately imitated me. In unspoken accord, we stepped closer and waited, back to back, for any possible attack.

'What now?' Iroh said in an annoyed voice.

Then five war rhinos appeared from all five points, and surrounded us. I placed one hand in my waterbag and began to heat the water inside, but Iroh placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder and smiled pleasantly at the five tough soldiers around us.

'Colonel Mongke! What a pleasant surprise!' he said happily, addressing the man with the biggest helmet. I had my eyes fixed on the two soldiers in front of me, who stared at me arrogantly.

'If you're surprised we're here then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps' Mongke replied, a cold smile on his face that I didn't like.

The soldiers around readied their weapons, and I felt the water inside my waterbag reach boiling level, as the warmth began to scald my back.

'You know these guys?' Zuko asked incredulously, and I felt relieved to find he hadn't dropped his stance, when I moved my foot backwards and I felt his, standing right on place.

'Sure' Iroh replied. 'Colonel Mongke and the Rough Riders are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapons specialist. They are also a very capable singing group'

'We're not here to give a concert' Mongke said menacingly. 'We're here to apprehend fugitives!'

But Iroh didn't lose his smile, I could tell from the tone of his voice. 'Would you like some tea first? I'd love some. How about you, Kachi? I make you a jasmine man, am I right?'

'Enough stalling!' Mongke burst out impatiently. 'Round 'em up!'

I immediately drew the boiling water from my waterbag and splashed it at one warrior's face, who began shrieking in pain as he drew back. The other one threw me a spear, which I caught with one of my water whips, and cracked in two. Then he charged towards me with his rhino, and I waited till the last moment and jumped aside, immediately climbing to the saddle right behind him as he passed. I grabbed his arms with my water whips and threw him away, and then I took the reigns and charged the rhino towards Mongke himself, the only one still fighting, who was battling Iroh.

But Zuko climbed on Mongke's rhino and kicked him off after a quick fight, and we leveled the rhinos side by side on the road as we made them speed up. Iroh was right behind us, riding the ostrich. I glanced at Zuko, and he nodded, as if he had read my mind: We'd be far more traceable on a rhino than on the ostrich.

'Hand me the reigns!' I yelled, and he compelled immediately. I tied both sets of reigns, making sure the rhinos would continue running on the same path side by side, in order to lay a fake trail, and then I jumped on Zuko's rhino.

But I stumbled, losing balance, and he grabbed my hand before I fell and pulled from me, and as a result I fell into his arms, our chests colliding, our faces inches away. I looked up for a split second and our eyes met, and for a terrifying moment I thought I saw my feelings for him reflected on his golden eyes, but then the moment passed and we both jumped on Iroh's ostrich.

As soon as Iroh made sure we were both safe and sound on the poor beast, he pulled the reigns and diverted the ostrich to a different path.

'It's nice to see old friends' Iroh said cheerfully.

'Too bad you don't have any old friends that don't want to attack you' Zuko replied, earning a giggle from me.

'Hmm' Iroh said thoughtfully. 'Old friends that don't want to attack me…'

* * *

We remained silent for the rest of the morning. Oddly enough, the trees began to space up suddenly, and the earth looked drier, and by half afternoon we were paddling on sand on a desertic landscape.

'Umm… Iroh?' I said hesitantly. 'I don't think I can hunt much here… Are you sure we're going the right way?'

'Oh, yes' Iroh said with a big smile on his face. 'We're going to meet a friend of mine'

Zuko and I scanned the desert. 'Umm… where?' Zuko asked.

'You'll see. We'll arrive at sunset' was Iroh's reply.

Zuko and I exchanged skeptical glances.

Fortunately for us, Iroh was right. At about nightfall we reached a small town in the middle of the desert, which was supposedly famous for an iceberg it had. I snorted when we passed what remained of the so-called iceberg, which was a tiny piece of ice I could have forged myself.

Then we walked inside the main inn of the place.

It was a dark place, and the guests did not look kind. Many of them wore hoods on their faces, and the rest of them bore an arrogant cocky expression, enhanced by big muscles and long daggers hanging from their belts.

'No one here is going to help us' Zuko said as we sat on an empty table. 'These people look like filthy wanderers'

'So do we' Iroh pointed out. Then he spotted something. 'Ah, this is interesting. I think I've found our friend', and he motioned towards an old bald man sitting at a Pai Sho board.

'You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?' Zuko said sullenly.

'I don't think this is a gamble' Iroh said gravely, as we got to out feet and approached the man.

'May I have this game?' Iroh asked politely.

'The guest has the first move' the old man replied pleasantly, as he pointed at the empty chair across the table. Iroh pulled out his tiles, and placed the lotus tile in the middle of the board.

I frowned. That was not Iroh's typical beginning of a game. In fact, it was a ridiculous move. I stared at Iroh, wondering if the heat of the desert had suddenly messed up his head.

'I see you favor the white lotus gambit' the stranger said. 'Not many still cling to the ancient ways'

'Those who do can always find a friend' Iroh replied.

'Then let us play'

They began playing, but what they did made no sense to me. I realized suddenly that they weren't actually playing, and I gasped when I guessed it was Iroh's way of introducing himself to a friend, to someone who could help us.

When they finished, I could see the tiles forming the shape of a lotus, with the lotus tile in the center.

The old man smiled. 'Welcome, brother. The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets'

'What are you old gasbags talking about?' Zuko inquired, obviously not understanding anything.

'Shh, Zuko! Can't you see what they're doing?' I whispered frantically at him, clinging to his arm.

Iroh looked at me and gave me a warm smile. 'I see Kira has paid more attention than you, Zuko. I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game'

Zuko was about to say something when a yell across the pub startled us all.

'You three fugitives are coming with me!' A man said as he walked towards us.

The old man gasped, his face turning into a mask of fear. 'I knew it! You three are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!'

'I thought you said he would help!' Zuko said, upset. But Iroh stretched his arm towards us, and he leaned in to whisper.

'He is. Just watch'

The old man then stood up and addressed the rough looking man who wanted to capture us. 'You think you're going to capture them and collect all that gold?' he said in an extremely loud voice.

Then all the men at the bar turned around at the mention of the word 'gold', and some of them pulled out knives and walked to us with a menacing frown on their faces. I readied myself to heat my water, but Iroh placed a hand on my arm, and signaled the door.

We quietly sneaked out in the middle of the chaos that ensued, and followed the old bald man across town until we entered a small house, which we could see at the moment we entered was a flower shop.

The man bowed to Iroh. 'It is an honor to welcome such a high-ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus. Being a Grand Master, you must know so many secrets' he said.

I looked at Iroh, astounded. _Order of the White Lotus? Grand Master?_

'Now that you've played Pai Sho, are you going to do some flower arranging, or is this club going to offer some _real_ help?' Zuko asked disdainfully.

I scowled at him as Iroh addressed the old man. 'You must forgive my nephew. He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts'

Then the man led us to the back of the shop, where he knocked on a wooden door. A small window in the middle slid open and a man peeked through.

'Who knocks at the guarded gate?' he asked with a deep voice.

'One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries' Iroh replied gravely, and the door opened and he stepped inside.

Zuko attempted to follow him, but I stopped him, and the door closed on our faces. He glared at me, but then the window slid open again and Iroh's eyes stared at us.

'I'm afraid it's members only, and Kira, I haven't had time to initiate you, so you two must wait out here now'

Zuko frowned as he stared at me.

'Why would he initiate you and not me?'

'Because you never listen' I replied, frowning myself now.

Zuko snorted, throwing his arms to the roof in exasperation as he walked to the farthest point of the shop.

I leaned against the wall and slid down to the ground. Only the spirits knew what Iroh was doing in there.

'How did you know?' Zuko's voice came from the opposite corner of the shop.

'Because they weren't really playing. It was a presentation. Iroh introduced himself through the moves on the board, and the man showed he was a member too. If you knew how to play Pai Sho, you'd have seen it too' I replied tiredly.

There was a moment of silence.

'Do you think it will take them long?' he asked.

I sighed. 'I don't know, Zuko'

Then he appeared from behind a counter, and he walked to my side. He slid his back down on the wall, sitting beside me.

I suddenly felt my insides twitch, and I looked at Zuko, so close to me, and I couldn't help it. I leaned my head on his shoulder. I cursed myself internally, thinking he'd shove me off or something, but he did nothing.

A few minutes later, he leaned his own head on mine, and suddenly my insides stopped flickering around, and an immense peace filled me, as I realized this is where I wanted to be. Nowhere else, but right here with him. At his side. Forever.

I sighed. Now I was in deep trouble. I screwed it up. I was irremediably and completely in love with Zuko. And I wanted to die of embarrassment. I felt a sudden urge to stick my head in the ground and never take it out, but I felt so complete with him at my side that I couldn't force my body to move.

_Gee, stop being so cheesy, Kira!_ I slapped myself mentally, as I tried to sink my feelings deep inside my heart.

But suddenly it felt ok. The annoying voice shut up and I didn't have to fight my feelings anymore. I closed my eyes and devoted my spirit to enjoy this moment with Zuko, when he wasn't yelling at me and he was actually being nice, as I embraced the fact that I was in love with him and I had him here with me, sitting at my side, and I could feel the warmth that his body emanated and that lovely scent of smoke that drove me crazy. I realized I had never felt happier in my entire life.

When I opened my eyes again, we both jumped to our feet and adopted our stances, for we had heard a noise. It took me a second to remember where I was and that I was safe, and another second to acknowledge that I had fallen asleep and that the noise was the door opening.

'What is going on?' Zuko asked, more alert than me, as I couldn't suppress a yawn. 'Is the club meeting over?'

'Everything's taken care of' Iroh confirmed. 'We're heading to Ba Sing Se'

'Ba Sing Se?' Zuko asked, confused. 'Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital?'

I could have answered him but I was still trying to wake up, so the old bald man Iroh had played with gave him the answer. 'The city is filled with refugees. No one will notice three more'

'We can hide in plain sight there' Iroh added. 'And it's the safest place in the world from the Fire Nation. Even I couldn't break through to the city'

Then a man entered through the door at the back of the shop, and I resumed my stance quickly before acknowledging he was the one who had helped Iroh.

'I have the passports for our guests' he said, 'but there are two men out on the streets looking for them'

We approached the door and through the window slit we saw two men showing posters with our faces to passers-by, and with a gasp I recognized one of them as the man who had tried to capture us on the inn.

We exchanged glances.

Later on, we sneaked out of the shop hiding inside three enormous pots where we fit, and I almost giggled as I heard the two men questioning the poor old bald man. They would never find us.

* * *

_**A/N: Gosh I just love them! I love how both of them are so blind to their own feelings! **_

_**And also, that part where Zuko looks at Kira at the beginning of the chapter may sound weird and repetitive because it's almost literally taken from the song "Something there" from the Disney movie "The Beauty and the Beast", which is my personal Disney ever favorite. I thought it sort of suited how Zuko and Kira are beginning to develop their relationship. And I don't own it either, by the way.**_

_**Oh, and I'm proud to announce I've finished writing till the end of Book II. So we have at least six more chapters to go. Now I have to focus on Book III *sighs*, of which I have virtually nothing. **_

_**Anyways, continue R&Ring! Always relevant!**_

_**Before I forget, in response to the anon reviewer who asked if Kira knew about Lu Ten, she does, but she heard it when she was locked in Zuko's ship a long time ago, and she doesn't really make the connection. She doesn't realize that for Iroh, Zuko replaces the son he's lost, in a way. Notice that I'm saying "in a way" because he still remembers his son and he lights that incense in Tales of Ba Sing Se, but seeing Zuko grow and mature into the Prince he's always wanted him to be must be almost like watching his son grow up again. Kira does not see this, though, not as clearly as we fans of the series do. She mentions Lu Ten's death in Ba Sing Se a few chapters ahead anyway. I don't know how relevant this is to the story, but theere's your answer =)**_


	18. Jet

**Chapter 18: Jet**

A few days later, we arrived at the dock near the Serpent's Pass and we boarded a ship, using the fake IDs the White Lotus had given us. As soon as we set off I began to feel better, inhaling the fresh salty breeze of the huge lake.

I leaned on the railing, allowing the wind to play with my loose hair, that had by now surpassed my shoulders, and closing my eyes as the smell of salt filled my nose. I heard some footsteps and I opened my eyes, to see Zuko leaning on the railing at my side. His frown had returned, and he seemed quite upset. With a single look, I knew what was wrong. He hated to be a refugee. He was a Prince, he wasn't supposed to be here.

I placed my hand on his arm to show him my support, but said nothing. He looked at me, and his frown disappeared for a moment, as he gave me a thankful look, and then he went back to frown at the water.

Iroh stood at my other side, sighing. 'Who would have thought, after all these years, I'd return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace… as a tourist' and with a wide grin he placed a flowered straw hat on his head.

Zuko scowled. 'Look around, we're not tourists, we're refugees'. Then he sipped a bit from the cup he was holding in his left hand, but spat it out after a second. 'Ugh! I'm sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt… I'm tired of living like this' he sighed grimly.

I was about to say something when a deep voice behind my back interrupted me.

'Aren't we all?' I turned around and saw a tall young man walking towards us. He had black hair and was wearing a weird red uniform I'd never seen before, and he was chewing on a strand of prairie grass.

'I'm Jet' he introduced himself. 'And these are my Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot' he said, pointing at a small girl behind him with interesting facial make up and another thin tall young man, who was wearing a hat and looked sour.

'Hey' Smellerbee said, and Longshot nodded a greeting.

'Hello' Zuko corresponded, but I said nothing. Something in Jet's eyes made me feel uncomfortable.

Jet approached us more, and lowered his voice to a conspiracy tone. 'Here's the deal. I hear the Captain's eating like a king, while us refugees have to feed off his scraps. Doesn't seem fair, does it?'

I narrowed my eyes at him. I didn't like the sound of this. But Iroh got interested when they mentioned food. 'What sort of 'king' is he eating like?'

'The fat, happy kind' Jet replied shortly. 'You want to help us 'liberate' some food?'

Zuko stared at the ocean, and before I could answer a firm 'No', he turned to Jet, and I knew the words that came out of his mouth even before he said them.

'I'm in'

'Then I'm in too' I said firmly. Zuko glared at me, as if he wanted to keep me away from it, but I glared defiantly back at him, daring him to say it aloud. Then he looked aside.

'We meet here, tonight, at midnight' Jet said, and we both nodded.

When the moon came out in the sky, Zuko and I sneaked out of our sleeping bags, and ran to the deck, where we met Jet, Smellerbee and Longshot. The latter was to wait at the passengers' deck.

Jet and Smellerbee nodded quickly at us and left to the bridge, and we followed. At the bridge, Zuko took the lead, and I stuck to his back. When we reached the kitchen, we spied through the window and saw all the food stuffed in there. Smellerbee was left as watch as we approached the door. I quickly waterbended water at the lock and then kicked it as silently as I could, and we entered.

I immediately went for the groceries, and stuffed cabbages and tomatoes inside a big bag, grabbing as many things as I could in the limited time we had. Then we shouldered our stacks and left the kitchen.

It was then when we heard Smellerbee's warning: 'Guards coming!', and we rushed to the balcony, where I was about to create an ice ladder, but Longshot beat me, shooting an arrow that stuck at the very balcony we were leaning over, from the deck below. We slid down to safety.

As we reached our deck and hid the packs where no guard would search, Jet grabbed my shoulder.

'You're a waterbender. What are you doing here?'

I scowled at him. 'That's none of your concern, Jet' I hissed.

He backed up, widening his eyes in guilt. 'I'm sorry. It's just that you remind me of someone I used to know'

'Well, keep that to yourself. I don't know you, and we haven't met before' I snapped before walking to my sleeping bag.

'What did he tell you?' Zuko asked as I covered myself with my blanket.

'Nothing of importance' I mumbled, as I closed my eyes.

The next day, Jet passed the food to the passengers, who gave him thankful looks. Iroh, Zuko and I were sitting alongside Smellerbee and Longshot.

'So' Iroh said, obviously trying to create conversation, 'Smellerbee, that's an unusual name for a young man'

'Maybe that's because I'm not a man. I'm a girl!' she snapped back, peeved, and she got to her feet and left.

'Ooh, now I see! It's a beautiful name for a lovely girl!' he tried to make it up to her, uselessly. I shook my head sadly as I sipped my tea.

Longshot rose and followed Smellerbee, and he gave her a hard look.

She looked back at him, an expression of regret on her face. 'I know. You're right. As long as I'm confident with who I am, it doesn't matter what other people think. Thanks Longshot' and he nodded his approval, before returning to our side. I raised one eyebrow with interest at their "exchange", but my thoughts were interrupted when Jet sat at our side as well.

'From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se. I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant wall' he commented.

I snorted, but Iroh replied first. 'It's a magnificent sight'

'So you've been here before' Jet shrewdly guessed.

'Once, when I was a different man' he answered softly, as he looked away.

'I've done some things in my past that I'm not proud of' Jet said. _I bet on that_, I thought bitterly. 'But that's why I'm going to Ba Sing Se, for a new beginning. A second chance'

'That's very noble of you' Iroh congratulated him. 'I believe people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances' and then he looked meaningfully at Zuko, who looked away. Then he fixed his eyes on mine, and he smiled. I smiled myself, understanding what he meant. I had taken my chance, I was there, with them.

Then I looked at Jet, and I almost shivered when I noticed his black eyes were studying us cautiously. But Longshot's eyes scared me more, for suddenly he widened them up as he stared at me, and I had a sudden feeling he knew who I was. I looked down quickly, feeling my heart beating fast. I couldn't help to glance at our destination, hoping the journey would end soon.

Later that day, I went to the railing after Zuko, and I panicked for a moment when I saw Jet approaching him faster than me, and I caught his words: 'You know, as soon as I saw your scar, I knew exactly who you were' My heart suddenly skipped a beat, and the warmth inside of me that activated when I boiled water began to expand in alarm, as I readied myself to attack if necessary. 'You're an outcast, like me' Jet continued, and I almost sighed aloud out of sheer relief. 'And us outcasts have to stick together. We have to watch each other's backs, because no one else will'

I walked decidedly upon the railing and stood next to Zuko, glaring at Jet, making it clear that I wanted him away from Zuko. But he didn't get the message – or he chose to ignore it – and remained there, at our side, gazing at the now close shore as he awaited for Zuko's response.

'I've realized lately' Zuko said grimly, 'that being on your own isn't always the best path'

At that I looked at him. It was the first time I heard him say something like that aloud, referring to the days he had spent on his own. I would have replied something if Annoying Jet wasn't there in the way, but since I couldn't, I just placed my hand over his to tell him without words that he could always count with my support.

And then he turned his hand around and grabbed mine, entwining his warm fingers with mine, dark skin mixed with pale skin, without looking at me, but I saw his frown relent a little. I squeezed his hand, and I was rewarded with a half smile that spread upon his face.

Jet saw the gesture and looked at me questioningly, as if he was wondering what happened between Zuko and me. I glared at him from behind Zuko's back, and this time he got the message and left, leaving us alone staring at the sun falling down, hands clasped.

* * *

At the evening, we arrived at a very crammed dock, where the officials were stamping people's passports in and out of the city.

We lined up, and when it was our turn, the lady looked over our papers, a doubtful expression on her face. I prayed to Yue the White Lotus knew what they were doing.

'So, Mr. Lee, Miss Kaya and Mr…. umm… Mushy, is it?' she asked curtly.

'It's pronounced Moo-shee' Iroh corrected her.

The woman suddenly glared at him angrily. 'Are you telling me how to do my job?'

I almost backed down, in sudden fright at the hideousness of the lady leaning out and enraged. But Iroh gave her his best smile. 'Uh, no, no, no. But may I just say that you're like a flower in bloom, your beauty intoxicating'

I did back down this time, revolted. We had to get Iroh's eyes checked!

'You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself, handsome' the lady corresponded. Then she raised her hand in a cat-claw gesture. 'Raorrr. Welcome to Ba Sing Se'

I had to hide my face in Zuko's shoulder for a moment to avoid throwing up, as his arm curved around my waist. Then I broke apart and looked away, and he snatched the now approved papers from Iroh's hand. 'I'm gonna forget I saw that' he said.

And so we entered the main station, and found a spot to throw our sleeping bags, since the last train had departed and the next one wouldn't be leaving until the next morning. We had had dinner on the ship, so we simply slipped on our sleeping bags and closed our eyes.

The next morning, I was admiring the architecture of the place, fascinated, as we waited for the first train. Iroh bought some tea, to spit it out immediately, complaining it was cold, and I almost missed Jet when he called Zuko out.

I watched him go with a strange feeling, as if I wanted to go over there and snatch him from Jet's greedy hands. I saw them exchange a few words and then Zuko returned, a sour look on his face.

I fixed my eyes on his, soundlessly asking for an explanation, but he just stood in front of us and looked away.

'What happened?' I asked, now aloud.

Zuko huffed, evidently upset. 'He wanted me to join his group'

My heart sank for an instant. 'And what did you tell him?'

'No, of course. What did you think? That I'm gonna go and leave you and Uncle?' he retorted angrily.

I glared at him, peeved after his tone. 'Like you haven't done that before' I muttered softly, looking aside.

Then suddenly Zuko widened his eyes, and turned around quickly, looking at something behind him. I followed his gaze and saw a suspicious Jet looking at us. His eyes frightened me real deep, as if he suddenly knew everything about us, and hated us for it. Then I looked behind me, at Iroh, and noticed the cup of tea he had bought a second ago, was now steaming hot.

I hissed unwillingly, understanding what Jet had seen, and I jumped to my feet. Zuko strolled to Iroh and dashed the cup of tea from his hand.

'Hey!' Iroh complained.

Zuko leaned over him, furious, and whispered to him through gritted teeth 'What are you doing, firebending your tea? For a wise old man, that was a pretty stupid move!'

'Have you lost your mind?' I added, also through gritted teeth. I ran my hands through my hair. 'Gee, what are we gonna do now?'

'Keep on like nothing happened' Zuko said as Iroh mourned over his fallen tea.

'But Zuko… I think they know who I am' I confessed, feeling guilty.

His eyes widened in surprise. 'What? How would they know?

'I don't know' I replied anxiously, 'Jet said I reminded him of someone when I waterbended, and I think… I think he knows Katara'

'Katara who?' Zuko asked, suddenly lost.

'Katara my sister! The girl that travels with the Avatar!' I hissed. 'If they met, and Katara told them who I am, she must have told them that you kidnapped me. It's not so hard to tie loose ends, Zuko'

Zuko bit his lip, lost in thought. 'We're going to have to be extra careful for a while. Do not waterbend from now on unless it's strictly necessary' he instructed.

I nodded quickly, and then they called for our train. 'Last call for Ba Sing Se!'

We climbed up on the train, feeling relieved at finally getting away from Jet and his Freedom Fighters. Zuko sat with his arms crossed, clearly still upset and nervous. I sat at his side, racking my brains for something to say, but then the train parted and the windows became full with an astounding landscape. The city was huge, massive, the biggest I had ever seen in my life, and I stuck my nose against the window, staring at millions of people passing by.

After a while I sat back down, deciding to get a better look when we arrived, and then a sudden peace filled me, as I realized we would finally be free. Free from the Fire Nation chasing us and free from Earth Kingdom guards trying to capture us. I smiled, feeling we were about to start anew.

Iroh was tickling on the blanket of a baby, whose family was sitting in front of us. I looked at the baby's relaxed face, and felt a new surge of hope rise through my chest.

'What a handsome baby' Iroh said.

'Thank you' the father replied, beaming.

I approached them. 'What's her name?'

Her mother raised her eyes from her baby to look at me, and I saw them glimmer in happiness.

'Hope.'

I gasped. The name was perfect for the baby and for the moment.

'It's… It's a beautiful name' I managed to gurgle out.

Then I went back to sit next to Zuko, who had uncrossed his arms now, a little more relaxed, and I squeezed his hand. He squeezed mine back, and a tiny half-smile appeared on his lips.

I leaned my head on his shoulder, in silence, and after a few seconds, he did the same. And we stared at the populous city through the windows of the train, and I felt my heart filled with Hope.

* * *

Later that day, we were walking down the street to our new apartment, and Iroh stopped to buy a large vase with orange flowers. Zuko raised one eyebrow.

'I just want our new place to look nice in case someone brings home a lady friend' he explained, nudging Zuko's ribs with his elbow.

I glared at him. What did he mean by 'lady friend'?

But Zuko had recovered his grim expression. 'This city is a prison. I don't want to make a life here'

'Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not' Iroh lectured him. 'Now come on, I found us some new jobs, and we start this afternoon. Kira, you will need to bring your guitar'

I looked at him questioningly, but he did not explain.

We arrived at a tiny apartment on a building, that had only two rooms and a bathroom. One of the rooms served as dining room and kitchen, and the other was a tiny space with two separate bunkers.

I shot a look at Iroh. Where was I going to sleep?

'Not to worry, not to worry' he answered quickly, raising his palms. 'I sleep in the dining room and you two young people take the bedroom'

'But there's no bed on the dining room' I observed.

'Yet' he said with a happy grin. 'The owner will bring an extra bed this afternoon while we're working'

'Oh, ok then' I mumbled as I entered our tiny bedroom. I turned to Zuko. 'Which one do you want? The one on the left or the one on the right?'

'It's the same' he growled, crossing his arms. I sighed.

'I know it doesn't look good, but we don't have to stay here forever. It's just something temporary until the war ends' I said.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly trying to control his temper. 'And what makes you think it will end soon?' he hissed low.

'The fact that the Avatar is still alive and free' I replied quickly.

He grunted low and threw his backpack on the bed on the right before leaving the room. I sighed. This wasn't going to be exactly easy.

* * *

After lunch we went to the tea shop where Iroh had got us our jobs. Zuko and Iroh had to change into green aprons, and I peeked out at them from behind the curtain where I was getting changed into the green dress the owner had given me, giggling. Zuko looked good, but Iroh failed to tie the apron behind his back.

'Well, you certainly look like official tea servers. How do you feel?' the owner of the shop asked.

'Ridiculous' Zuko replied darkly.

Iroh kept on pulling from the strings, but in vain. 'Uh, does this possibly come in a larger size?' he asked.

The owner considered it for a second. 'I have extra string in the back. Have some tea while you wait'

Iroh sipped the tea, and his face contorted in disgust.

'Ugh! This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!'

'Uncle, that's what _all_ tea is' Zuko replied, exasperated.

'How can a member of my own family say something so horrible?' Iroh reacted, positively indignated.

'Yes, Zuko, how can you tell your tea-loving Uncle something like that?' I chimed in, coming out from behind the curtain, fully dressed and made up.

Both of them gaped at me. 'What?' I asked.

'You look…' Zuko began, his voice trailing off as his eyes went from my toes to my head.

'Ravishing, my dear' Iroh completed, nudging Zuko to make him come back to reality.

'Really?' I asked, incredulously. 'I'm… I mean, it's not really comfortable, but I guess it'll have to do' The dress was tube-like, and it stuck to my body in a way I certainly didn't find comfortable. I had also had to make up and do my hair in a complicated structure over my head.

Iroh approached me, and I could see his eyes shining with approval. He handed me my guitar.

'There you go, the perfect singer for this place. Excuse Zuko, he hasn't seen many beautiful women in his life'

'Uncle, please!' Zuko replied, finally reacting.

He approached me, still studying me, and I fixed my eyes on his, unable to contain an adoring look, as I took in his lovely amber eyes, his strong jaw and his thin but worked up torso. He gently picked up a strand of hair that was hanging over my eye and placed it behind my ear.

'You really do look beautiful' he said softly. 'The customers will be perfect idiots not to love you'

I beamed, feeling my heart banging against my chest at both his compliment and his closeness. 'Thanks, Zuko'

We locked eyes, but then a door slamming startled me and the moment was gone forever. The owner of the tea shop approached me, nodding in approval.

'Oh, yes, you look great. Now I'd like to hear you play'

I raised my guitar and began to run my fingers softly over it, but I didn't get to finish a single scale, when he stopped me.

'Excellent! Your father was right, you'll make a perfect addition to my shop'

Then he led me to a platform that rose from the ground at one side of the shop, at the wall's side. It was covered with a mat and stuffed with several cushions.

'Here. This will be your place. You will sit here and play'

I climbed on with some assistance from the elder man and sat cross-legged between the cushions. Then I began playing my guitar in a soft, peaceful melody.

'Is that right?' I asked the man.

'Just… perfect' he said, making the gesture with his fingers.

I beamed again.

* * *

After a few days, we had grown used to the job. Zuko hated it, and I knew that he was hiding his resentment, but that it was growing every day. Iroh prepared the tea, and pretty soon the shop began to get crammed with people, who kept complimenting the tea and my performing.

The tea shop owner couldn't be happier.

One evening he was just leading Iroh to the back of the shop, offering a raise, when suddenly the door burst open and Jet stormed in.

'I'm tired of waiting. These two men are firebenders!' he yelled, pointing his hooks at Zuko and Iroh. I gasped, and they exchanged looks, unsure of what to do. Everybody in the shop had frozen, looking alternatively at Jet and at Zuko and Iroh. 'I know they're firebenders! I saw the old man heating his tea!' Jet accused.

The city officer that had complimented Iroh's tea a second ago raised his eyebrows at Jet. 'He works in a _tea shop_' he said, as if he thought Jet was stupid.

'He's a firebender, I'm telling you!' Jet insisted, waving his hooks around.

'Please, somebody do something!' I shouted as I got to my feet, acting scared like a little girl. 'He's gonna hurt someone!'

'Drop your swords boy, nice and easy' the officer said, standing up and walking to Jet.

He glared at me, and pointed one sword at me and another at Zuko. 'You'll have to defend yourselves. Then everyone will know. Go ahead, show them what you can do'

And then he walked towards me. I bit my lip nervously. My daggers were a few meters away, in my pack on the ground, but at Jet's pace I wouldn't reach them on time, specially because I couldn't run in this tube dress I was wearing.

But Zuko rushed forward and unsheathed the officer's double broadswords, standing between Jet and me.

'You want a show, I'll give you a show' he growled.

'Lee, don't!' I squealed, acting hysterical, though I knew he had made the right choice. He had to stand for himself, and defend us, but none of us could bend. I was a waterbender, not a firebender, but I remembered Longshot's suspicion about me and I knew Jet would make the connection too if I even tried to waterbend again.

The people at the shop stood up, frightened, as the officers stared at the two boys, seemingly astounded.

Zuko pulled a table and kicked it at Jet, who stopped it with his hooks and jumped over it, swinging his swords at Zuko. Zuko expertly deflected the attack, used to sparring, and jumped backward on another table. I watched from my platform, biting my nails. I was confident Zuko could take Jet, but I was ready to intervene if things went out of control.

Jet swung his hook on the middle of Zuko's table, but he dodged and balanced on one foot on the edge of it. Then Jet cut the legs of the table, but Zuko did not anticipate and he lost balance, almost falling over Jet, but I jumped in the way, pushing him away from Jet's hook.

Jet could not stop his hook after he swung it, and it fell on me, but my reflexes were quicker, and the hook merely cut the lower part of my dress between my legs, tearing it open up to my thighs. In fact, that was great for me, because now I could run for my daggers. Jet went after me, choosing to attack whom he thought was the weakest target. But when he swung his hook to me again, I raised my daggers and stopped his blow. He widened his eyes in surprise, and I gave him a sly smile.

'Hey!' Zuko yelled behind him. 'Why don't you take someone your own size?'

Jet released one hook and swung it to my ribs, but I expertly deflected his wrist and spun around and away from him. 'Because if she's in danger you'll stop at nothing to protect her, and you'll have to firebend' he growled in response to Zuko, but glaring at me.

Zuko attacked him from behind, but Jet was heavier than him, and used a moment when their swords clashed to push him backwards. Zuko was thrown out the doors of the shop, as Jet turned towards me. I studied him as we exchanged some blows, trying to find his weakness. I understood then that he would stop at nothing to force us to bend, in order to defend ourselves. And I noticed he was way heavier than Zuko and that if I wasn't careful, his sheer force would knock me down.

I realized that our only chance was that the officers apprehended him, but they were just standing there, frozen, watching us fight, and I understood that unless they were forced to, they wouldn't intervene.

Then I carefully manipulated Jet, leading him to the door and acting as if I was getting tired quickly, though I was nowhere near tired, and then suddenly I allowed the back of Jet's hook to smash my ribs, and I whimpered, falling in his arms. Then he pressed his hook against my throat, and dragged me outside the shop, where Zuko was already racing to the door, but he stopped dead at his tracks at seeing me in danger and his golden eyes widened with worry.

I winked at him to tell him I had everything under control, and then I started to sob desperately, and loudly. 'Please, don't hurt me! We're not benders, we were escaping from the Fire Nation! They burned our entire house, and burned my cousin!' I sobbed hard, falling on my knees. 'Somebody please help us!'

The officers came out of the tea shop, but suddenly a bunch of men clad in green appeared out of nowhere and surrounded Jet and me. I looked at them, pleading with my eyes as I kept sobbing in despair. Zuko seemed confused, and stood on his spot with the swords in his hands.

'Drop your weapons!' the men ordered.

Zuko complied immediately, but Jet pressed the hook to my throat. 'Arrest them. They're firebenders'

Then Iroh came out from the tea shop. 'This poor boy is confused! We're just simple refugees! And he's hurting my innocent daughter! Please, do something!'

'This girl is not innocent!' Jet replied, and I noticed he was beginning to lose it, as he pulled from my hair and I whimpered again. 'She's a bender!'

'Please!' I begged him crying, trying to look as innocent as possible. 'I'm not! I'm just a normal girl, and you're hurting me! Please!'

The tea shop owner pointed at Jet. 'This young man wrecked my tea shop, assaulted my employees, and he's threatening the girl's life!'

The officer that had taken the tea nodded. 'It's true, sir. We saw the whole thing. This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city, and the boy and the girl had to fight for their lives'

Then the men in green closed in on us, and Jet pulled me up, shielding himself with my body. 'Let her go, son' one of them said.

Then Jet pushed me forward and I collapsed on one man's arms. He turned around and placed me in Zuko's arms, and I slid to the ground, crying, Zuko kneeling down beside me. He flung his warm arms around me, cradling me close to his chest.

'Are you okay?' he whispered, clearly concerned.

'Yeah, but follow me' I whispered back in between sobs.

'You don't understand!' Jet was screaming as the men dragged him towards a wagon that looked to be designed for holding captured criminals. 'They're Fire Nation! You have to believe me! And the girl, she is a waterbender! I saw her do it!'

The men closed the wagon and took him away, and the officers, the tea shop owner and Iroh rushed towards me.

'Are you badly hurt, miss?'

I moaned. 'He hit my ribs, I don't know…' I said, burying my face in Zuko's neck.

'We should take her to a doctor' the tea shop owner said.

But I rubbed the tears off my face, taking care to look still shocked, and passed my hand over my ribs. 'N-no' I said between hiccups. 'I-I think it's not that bad'

'But you will need to rest, dear' Iroh said gravely, rubbing more tears off my swollen face.

'Take the day off tomorrow' the tea shop owner said. 'Lee, take her home. Mushi and I will take care of the cleaning' he instructed.

Zuko nodded, and he placed one arm around my waist and cupped the other behind my legs, scooping me up. I burrowed my face on his neck and flung my arms around him, shivering, acting shaken and vulnerable.

When we were some blocks away, I rubbed my face and tapped Zuko's shoulder.

'They're not looking now, you can put me down'

But he ignored me.

'You can put me down now, I'm ok' I repeated. No response. 'Zuko, put me down or I'll kick you somewhere you won't like' I hissed in his ear through gritted teeth.

Then he lowered me down. I passed my hands over my torso, feeling a bruise already forming where Jet's hook had hit me. I sighed.

'Wait, you're not hurt?' Zuko asked, confused, and only then I realized he hadn't understood anything of what I had done.

I stared at him. 'Do you seriously think Jet would have taken me if I hadn't let him? Come, we'll discuss this at home' I whispered, looking up at the dark buildings, fearing someone would hear.

When we arrived home, I put the teapot on the fire.

'I was worried about you. I thought he was hurting you' Zuko growled angrily, obviously peeved at the fact that I had deceived him too.

'Well, he might have, if the officers didn't intervene soon. I knew I had to make them do something, so I played the weak helpless crybaby to force them to help me'

Zuko huffed. 'Good plan. I should have thought about it'

'It wouldn't have worked. You're not a girl' I replied, pouring two cups of tea. He looked away, upset. 'At least I got the day off tomorrow, and I got rid of that annoying dress'

'It suited you. The dress, I mean'

I raised an eyebrow at him. 'But it was the most uncomfortable thing I've ever worn' I sighed, sipping my tea by the window. 'Maybe we should just go to sleep. It was a long day for everyone'

Zuko got to his feet and went to his bed. But after a second of hesitation I decided to wait up for Iroh, who arrived about half an hour later.

'Well done, my dear' he congratulated me as soon as he entered. Unlike Zuko, he had seen my plan from the start and had cooperated to make it more believable. 'Did he hurt you?'

'Nah. Just a bruise on my ribs, but nothing like the time Zhao kicked me' I replied, as I poured another cup of tea for him, which I had just warmed up.

'You were very brave, jumping in front of Zuko like that' he said, sipping his tea and staring proudly at me with glimmering eyes.

I looked down. 'I can't let him get hurt. I care too much for him.' I admitted in a low voice.

Iroh placed a hand on my arm. 'Maybe you should tell him'

'What for? He obviously doesn't feel the same way about me, I mean, why would he? I'm just someone who follows him all around'

'Kira, you know you mean more to him than that' he said softly.

'No, I don't know that' I snapped back. 'I'm off to bed'

And I got up and quietly entered the room. Zuko was giving me his back, but his breath was steady, and he didn't move. I watched him sleep for a second and then I slipped in my bunk and I closed my eyes.

* * *

_**A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone for reading and the reviews I got since last chapter! I'm spacing out the uploads a little so it'll give me time to begin with Book III. I have some ideas for it, and I'm working really hard to stay in character and respect Kira and Zuko's development. Anyways, don't hate me for the next chapter! That one will be crammed with songs, but it's for a specific purpose in the story. **_

_**I really really can't tell you how much I appreciate the reviews! This story means a lot to me, because it's my first, and because I love Kira, and getting feedback on it is what helps me go on. I can only hope I'm doing a good job so far. **_

_**Keep R&Ring!**_


	19. The Tale of Kira

_**A/N: Well, as I had warned you, in this chapter and the next I'll feature quite some songs (I'd rather say a bunch of them). This one is called The Tale of Kira and intends to create a small moment for her as to fit the Tales of Ba Sing Se. **_

_**I apologize for the long delay. Truth is, I've had exams this week and I've been busy with that, and I've been experiencing a bad case of writer's block. Besides, I must admit I was reluctant to publish this chapter because I'm afraid you'll hate it. But well, let the hate come.**_

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_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the songs, as follows, and they were all used for entertainment purposes only: "Ignorance" belongs to Paramore; "I caught myself" also belongs to Paramore (I really love Paramore, they're one of my favorite bands like EVER); "Slave 4u" belongs to Britney Spears, and so does "Oops I Did It Again"; "Sexy Back" belongs to Justin Timberlake, and so does "Rock Your Body"; "I Wanna Be With You" and "I'll Never Break Your Heart" belong to the Backstreet Boys; "Check On It" belongs to Beyoncé; "Wannabe" belongs to the Spice Girls, "Do You Want Me?" belongs to Hilary Duff, "Don't You Want Me?" belongs to Human League, and "(I've had) The Time Of My Life" belongs to the owners of the movie Dirty Dancing.**_

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**Chapter 19: The Tale of Kira**

More days passed, and our life began to feel routinary. After Jet's attack, Pao, the tea shop owner, gave us a raise, and he treated me with much more respect, knowing that I was good with daggers and able to stand for myself. Besides, the dress that I used to wear for work had been torn apart by Jet's hooks, so Pao replaced the dress for a lighter blouse and a long skirt that reached the floor. In all it resembled a tube-like dress pretty well, but it was much more comfortable and allowed me to move quite more.

Iroh was pleased with the shop, which kept growing more and more famous.

Zuko, on the other hand, seemed darker each day. I knew his frustration would burst out violently one day, and I woke up every day fearing that was it. His attitude towards me changed slightly, which confused me. He didn't talk loads to me, in fact some days I thought he avoided me, but then he had some gestures with me that made me wonder what was actually going on inside his head.

One day he brought me a cup of tea he had prepared himself, with jasmine, my favorite. Another day he brought a flower and placed it over my ear, with gentle hands, and one cold night, when I was shivering because my blanket wasn't warm enough, he gently placed his own cover over me. And sometimes I caught him staring at me when I wasn't looking, and he quickly looked away, blushing slightly.

One night, on my day off, I returned from my weekly shopping of food, to find my two roommates in the strangest attitude I had ever seen them: Zuko was sitting cross-legged by the table, looking deeply embarrassed, and Iroh was _doing his hair_.

I stood on the doorway, frozen. They turned to look at me after hearing the door opening, and Zuko blushed, looking down.

Iroh was beaming. I shot him a questioning look, and he clapped his hands excitedly. 'Zuko has a date!'

'A _what_?' I hissed coldly, feeling something cold gripping my heart.

'The girl is picking him up at eight!' Iroh said cheerfully. 'And I'm trying to do something about his hair, but it won't behave!'

I looked at Zuko. 'Is that true?'

He looked at me and then he looked down again, blushing even farther, but not answering my question. His silence told me the truth anyway.

I dropped my packages on the kitchen and rushed to the bedroom, hiding my face from Zuko to prevent him from seeing me crying.

I threw myself in my bed, sinking my face on the pillow as I sobbed quietly. Why? Why did he have to do this to me? I mean, he didn't know how I felt about him, but it still hurt.

'Kira?' his soft voice asked as the door of the bedroom opened slightly.

'Go away!' I snapped, without removing my face from the pillow. I heard the door close back again. Great. Now I added guilt for screaming at him to my painful feelings.

A few minutes later, I heard the main door of the apartment opening up and closing. Then, the door of the bedroom opened a little.

'Kira?' Iroh asked softly.

'Go away, Iroh!' I shouted, and he closed the door again hastily, clearly frightened at my sharp answer. I half regretted my words as soon as I said them, but I figured that in my current mood, it was best for Iroh not to talk to me. I didn't quite control my words when I was upset, and he clearly did not deserve my rage.

I cried myself to sleep, but I woke up when the door of the bedroom opened up again and I heard Zuko sneak in quietly, trying to make as little noise as possible.

'How was your night, Prince Zuko?' Iroh's voice asked from the dining room.

There was a minute of silence, and then the door opened slightly.

'It was nice' Zuko's voice said softly.

Beneath my pillow, my hands clenched in fists.

* * *

The next day, I was a mess. Every time I looked at Zuko I felt like crying, but also like beating him up. It was a weird mix of anger and pain, unlike any I had felt before. I was quite aware it resembled jealousy, but I didn't know how to deal with it, and I wasn't going to go and ask Iroh.

I was at work, and by late afternoon I couldn't think of any peaceful song anymore, so I began to move my fingers over the guitar at a faster pace, and I closed my eyes and allowed part of that rage to escape through my voice, singing an angry song.

'_Well you treat me just like another stranger_

_Well it's nice to meet you, sir, but I guess I'll go, I best be on my way out. _

_You treat me just like another stranger_

_Well it's nice to meet you sir, but I guess I'll go, I best be on my way out._

_Ignorance is your new best friend._

_Ignorance is your new best friend._

_This is the best thing that coulda happened_

_Any longer and I wouldn't have made it_

_It's not a war, no, it's not a rapture._

_I'm just a person but you can't take it._

_The same tricks that, that once fooled me,_

_They won't get you anywhere_

_I'm not the same kid from your memory, _

_Well now I can fend for myself!_'

I opened my eyes to see the whole shop was staring at me, dumbfounded, with their cups in the air.

I immediately began playing a softer note in silence, as I blushed a deep tone of red. Pao strolled towards me.

_Uh oh._

'What do you think you're doing? You'll scare them all off!' he hissed frantically at me.

'I'm sorry' I apologized. 'It's just that I'm not feeling... well'

'Well, then, go get some air' he snapped angrily, 'but don't scare my customers off!'

'Very well' I replied humbly, and walked out of the shop, sighing.

I wandered through the streets for a few minutes, trying to calm down, but then my mixed emotions became too much for me and I sat down in an alleyway, and pulled out my guitar, yearning for catharsis.

I closed my eyes and began to sing, to release all those feelings that I had bottled up inside.

'_Down to you, you're pushing and pulling me down to you, but I don't know what I_

_Now when I caught myself, I had to stop myself, _

_From saying something that I should have never thought._

_Of you, _

_You're pushing and pulling me down to you,_

_But I don't know what I want._

_No I don't know what I want._

_You got it, you got it, it's some kinda magic, hypnotic, hypnotic, you're leaving me breathless._

_I hate this, I hate this, you're not the one I believe in._

_With Yue as my witness._

_Now when I caught myself, I had to stop myself, _

_From saying something that I should have never thought._

_Of you, _

_You're pushing and pulling me down to you,_

_But I don't know what I want._

_No I don't know what I want!_

_Oh, no, I should have never thought!'_

When I opened my eyes, feeling a little relieved, I saw a tall boy leaning casually against a column, staring at me.

'You're good' he said.

I got to my feet, and I was about to scurry away, when a warm gentle hand closed around my arm, and I turned around to meet a pair of chocolate brown eyes, that were staring at me with interest, and not lust or perfidy. I stopped in spite of myself, realizing that I had hardly been looked at like that before.

I swallowed hard and released my wrist from his grip to fix my hair, as I looked down.

'Thanks' I replied, blushing a little.

He extended his hand. 'I'm Shang'

'Kaya' I replied, as I shook his hand.

'So,' he began, and I looked up and I noticed he was strongly built and that he had a pretty smile. 'Do you always come here to sing?'

'No' I shook my head lightly. 'I just happened to be here. I work nearby'

Then his eyes brightened up suddenly. 'I know who you are! You're the singing girl of the tea shop, aren't you? I've heard about you'

'Really?' I asked, intrigued, though a little corner of my brain warned me that that couldn't be good.

'Yeah. You've got a beautiful voice'

I laughed. 'Everybody tells me the same, but I don't believe it'

'You should. You've got talent'

I smiled, and we locked eyes for a moment. I felt something warm inside of me, and I realized, strangely, that I was comfortable with this guy.

'Listen, some friends and I, we have a band, and I was wondering if you'd like to come and meet them' he said, pointing behind him with his thumb.

I considered for a second. If it helped me feel better and forget a little about Zuko, I'd welcome it.

'Sure' I replied with a radiant smile.

I followed him through the intricate maze of streets, though trying to memorize it to be able to return later. Suddenly we reached a hollow place between the buildings, a small open square, and I noticed it was a center of activity.

A group of teenagers were sitting on a corner beside some instruments. The first impression I had of them was that they were the loudest group of people I had ever seen. They laughed loud and kept hitting each other, like a bunch of idiotic big boys. Still, they amused me, for I had never seen teens behave like this. In fact, it was the first time that I met boys my age whose lives weren't ruined by the war. I thought it might be interesting to find out what normal people did, and what normal teenagers did.

'Hey guys!' Shang called out. The kids waved up at him, with cheers of 'hey dude', 'what's up', and so on.

Then they saw me, walking at his side, and they began to whistle and laugh at Shang, making me blush and wish the earth would suddenly swallow me.

'Who's that gorgeousness walking at your side, Shang?'

'Yeah, introduce us to the laadyy' one of the kid shouted from the back, dragging the last letters, and I couldn't help but smile at his childishness. Shang pulled from my hand, dragging me closer to the group, and I smiled, my face burning red.

'This is Kaya, guys. She works at the tea shop'

At that the boys stared at me with interest.

'Hey' I said, still red in the face, raising a hand sheepishly.

'She's a player' Shang said, smiling proudly, and I realized he was showing me off in front of his buddies.

'But certainly not as good as you guys' I smiled, and they all began bragging aloud, and at the same time, which meant that I couldn't hear anything they said.

'We tour around the city every month. We're only at this spot once a month' Shang explained.

I noticed he was looking at me with a strange expression that took me a while to understand. His eyes shone with pride, but he still looked a little goofy when he fixed his eyes on me.

I decided to try something out. I looked down, fixing a naïve expression on my face, and put a strand of hair behind my ear, and then I focused my eyes on his, making sure my eyelids raised slowly, enhancing my made up eyelashes, and I gave him an intense gaze. The reaction was immediate. His eyes brightened up, and his expression became dazzled, and he extended a hand towards me awkwardly, as if he was wondering what to do.

The discovery was interesting. I could cause that in a man with a simple move of my hand and a flicker of the eyes?

And then, with a flash of pain, I remembered Zuko. No, I couldn't cause that in _all_ men. But then, I thought, what the hell, I deserved some fun. I had been fighting for my life for a long time, and running away from people. But it was enough. If this boy was attracted to me, maybe I could just try to play along, because Zuko obviously did not like me that way and I needed to get over him as soon as possible.

Shang bit his lip. 'Would you like to play with us?'

'Sure' I said. 'I'll show you some moves'

Naturally, Shang's friends began to cheer him up, and he blushed a tiny bit.

I laughed at the noisy group of teenagers, but then stared at Shang defiantly, as if hoping he'd challenge me. The tall boy seemed confused for a second, but then his instincts prevailed, and he looked down on me arrogantly.

'I can show _you_ some moves' he said.

'D'you think you can handle a girl like me?' I teased, smiling and putting my hands in my waist.

He leaned on me, now inches away from my face. 'I can handle you, baby'

In normal circumstances I would have kicked his ass for calling me 'baby', but today I just felt like flirting. I wanted to know what it felt like to be with someone who actually liked you and was attracted to you, so I smiled smugly.

'Please! Let me show you how it's done.'

I stepped away from him and placed my guitar on the ground.

'Are you up for a singing duel?' I proposed.

'Yeah! Show her some rock, Shang!' one of the kids shouted.

He hesitated for a moment, but then he nodded. 'Ladies first'

I thought for a moment, and then I came up with the perfect flirting song. And since the song was quick and sticky and good for dancing, I decided to throw all precaution to the winds and I danced at the rhythm.

'_All you people look at me like I'm a little girl._

_Well did you ever think it okay for me to step into this world._

_Always saying little girl, don't step into the club._

_Well I'm just tryin' to find out why cause singing's what I love._

_I know I may come off quiet, I may come off shy._

_But I feel like talking, feel like singing when I see this guy._

_What's practical is logical. What the hell, who cares?_

_All I know is I'm so happy when you're singing there'_

And with that I threw a kiss in the air at Shang, and waited for his response. The tall boy was dazzled for a moment, but he quickly recovered, and he approached me as he sang, smiling confidently.

'_I'm bringing sexy back._

_Them other boys don't know how to act_

_I think it's special what's behind your back_

_So turn around and I'll pick up the slack_

_Take 'em to the bridge._

_Dirty babe,_

_You see this shackles baby I'm your slave_

_I'll let you whip me if I misbehave_

_It's just that no one makes me feel this way._

_Come here girl_

_Go ahead, be gone with it._

_Come to the back._

_Go ahead, be gone with it._

_VIP, drinks on me._

_Let me see what you're working with_

_Look at those hips._

_You make me smile_

_Go ahead child._

_And get your sexy on.'_

And with those last words he towered over me, challenging me. I gave him a sly smile before picking up my response song. For this one I grabbed my guitar to accompany the notes, and I did not get my eyes off his as I sang.

'_I cry like a baby when I don't get my way_

_Do you want me?_

_I won't apologize when I make a mistake_

_Do you want me?_

_I got scars on my heart and they won't go away_

_I'm looking for someone to take them from me_

_Everybody knows I'm a little insane_

_Do you want me?_

_I'll tell it to you straight so it can't get worse_

_Do you want me?_

_I wanna show you me but first things first_

_Do you want me?_

_I'm looking for a savior to save my soul_

_All the damage that I've done has left a big hole_

_Everybody knows I just want someone to hold_

_Do you want me?'_

Shang didn't lose a second for his response. He seemed to like this game and appreciate the challenge.

'_I know now what I feel, and I want to, _

_I wanna be with you._

_And I'll be waiting,_

_Until you face the truth_

_When the light is fading_

_You know what I wanna do_

_I wanna be with you_

_It's crazy but it's true_

_You know it's true_

_And everything I do is for you baby,_

_I wanna be with you, oh, with you'_

By now the little open square we were in had begun to fill with onlookers staring at our game. I raced my fingers over my guitar with the next song, giving a full turn around Shang, whose eyes followed me as he cocked one eyebrow.

'_If you want my future, forget my past._

_If you wanna get with me, better make it fast_

_Now don't go wasting my precious time_

_Get your act together, we could be just fine._

_If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends_

_Make it last forever, friendship never ends_

_If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give_

_Taking is too easy but that's the way it is'_

'Oh but I'm such a good boy!' Shang said, in a half mocking, half moaning tone.

'Prove it, then' I challenged him with a flicker of my eyelashes.

'_From the first day that I saw your smiling face_

_Honey I knew that we would be together forever_

_Ooh, when I asked you out, you said no,_

_But I found out, darling, that you've been hurt_

_You thought that you'd never love again._

_I deserve a try, honey, just once._

_Give me the chance and I'll prove this all wrong_

_You walked in, you were so quick to judge,_

_But honey he's nothing like me._

_I'll never break your heart,_

_I'll never make you cry_

_I'd rather die, than live without you_

_I'll give you all of me,_

_Honey that's no lie'_

At that moment I noticed the square was getting crammed with people, and the circle around us was attracting more and more onlookers.

'Ohh, he thinks what I need is _love_' I teased aloud, as the people cheered. 'Please!' Then I handed my guitar to one of Shang's friends and I walked up to Shang, adopting a cocky attitude in front of him with my hands in my hips, and then I walked around our circle as I sang.

'_I think I made it again,_

_I made you believe_

_We're more than just friends_

_Oh, baby,_

_It might seem like a crush,_

_But it doesn't mean that I'm serious_

'_Cause to lose all my senses_

_That is just so typically me_

_Oh baby, baby_

_Oops! I did it again_

_I played with your heart,_

_And lost in the game_

_Oh baby baby,_

_Oops! You think I'm in love_

_That I'm sent from above_

_I'm not that innocent'_

I sang the last line almost on his face, in a whisper, as I pierced him with my eyes, and then I spun around and walked away. Shang's friends cheered, encouraging him, and the tall boy did not waste another second, following me.

'_Don't be so quick to run away, sing with me_

_I wanna rock your body, please stay, sing with me_

_You don't have to admit ya wanna play, sing with me_

_Just let me rock you till the break of day, sing with me._

_Got time, but I don't mind_

_Just wanna rock you girl_

_I'll have whatever you have_

_Come on, let's give it a whirl_

_See I've been watching you_

_And I like the way you move_

_So go ahead, girl just do_

_That guitar-shake thing you do._

_Don't be so quick to run away, sing with me_

_I wanna rock your body, please stay, sing with me_

_You don't have to admit ya wanna play, sing with me_

_Just let me rock you till the break of day, sing with me'_

I was enjoying this game of pretense and seduction, and I was having more fun than I'd had in a long time. I decided to raise the stakes, and I danced around the tall boy as I sang the next song, swaying my hips at the rhythm.

'_Ooh boy you looking like you like what you see, _

_Won't you come over and check up on it?_

_I'ma let you work up on it_

_Ladies let 'im check up on it_

_Watch it while he check up on it_

_Dip it, pop it, twork it, stop it, check on me tonight'_

Shang mimicked an arrow hitting him in his heart and falling to the ground before grabbing his guitar again. He smiled at me, knowing I was just acting for the audience, and he started with some notes I knew very well.

'_You were working as a singer in a tea shop, when I met you._

_I picked you up, I shook you up and turned you around_

_Turned you into someone new_

_Now five minutes later on, you've got the world at your feet_

_Success has been so easy for you_

_But don't forget, it's me who put you where you are now_

_And I can get you back down too._

_Don't, don't you want me?_

_You know I can't believe it when you say that you don't need me_

_Don't, don't you want me?_

_You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me'_

At that point I sang the second voice along with him as I played my guitar and we began to circle each other as we sang.

'_It's much too late to find, you think you've changed your mind_

_You better change it back or we will both be sorry_

_Don't you want me baby?_

_Don't you want me? _

_Ooh._

_Don't you want me baby?_

_Don't you want me?_

_Ooh'_

I picked up the song on the female part, and I sang it for the now large audience. The square was crammed with people and beyond the circle around Shang and me I could only see a sea of faces.

'_I was working as a singer in a tea shop, that much is true_

_But even then I knew I'd find a much better place_

_Either with or without you_

_The five minutes we have had have been such good times_

_I still love you_

_But now I think it's time I live a life on my own_

_I guess it's just what I must do_

_Don't, don't you want me?_

_You know I don't believe it when you say that you won't see me._

_Don't, don't you want me_

_You know I can't believe it when you say that you don't need me.'_

And then we sang the duet again.

'_It's much too late to find, you think you've changed your mind_

_You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry_

_Don't you want me, baby?_

_Don't you want me?_

_Ooh._

_Don't you want me, baby?_

_Don't you want me?_

_Ooh._

_Don't you want me, baby?'_

The crowd began to cheer loudly, but I played the beginning of another duet, and Shang picked up the message, since the first part corresponded to the man.

'_I've had the time of my life_

_And I never felt this way before_

_Yes, I swear, it's the truth_

_And I owe all to you'_

'_Cause I've had the time of my life_

_And I owe it all to you'_

I sang the female part, as we still circled one another, the sea of faces dissolving around us. Now it was only Shang and me, singing together, staring at each other, and I felt like laughing aloud of sheer joy. I felt like a five-year-old, playing with Shang.

'_I've been waiting for so long,_

_Now I've finally found someone_

_To stand by me_

_We saw the writing on the wall_

_As we felt this magical fantasy_

_Now with passion in our eyes_

_There's no way we could disguise it secretly_

_So we take each other's hand_

'_Cause we seem to understand the urgency'_

Shang and I made a great duet, I could tell from the harmony our voices reached, from the people cheering around and because I was really having more fun than ever.

But at the following verses a sudden picture of Zuko appeared in my mind, and I suddenly wished it was him singing this with me, and not Shang, pretty as he was. Ridiculous, 'cause Zuko won't sing.

'_With my body and soul_

_I want you more than you'll ever know_

_So we'll just let it go_

_Don't be afraid to lose control_

_Yes I know what's on your mind_

_When you say "Stay with me tonight"_

_Just remember, you're the one thing_

_I can't get enough of_

_So I'll tell you something_

_This could be love, because_

_I've had the time of my life_

_No I've never felt this way before_

_Yes I swear, it's the truth_

_And I owe it all to you'_

We finished among a general cheer, and I looked around at the sea of faces around me and suddenly I was not feeling so good anymore. I smiled and bowed, and then I tried to sneak out of the circle, but the people pushed me inside, begging for 'one more!', and I began to panic.

But then, a hand closed around my arm, and Shang was at my side.

'Thanks, people, now the Shaggy Dogs will perform a few songs for you!' he announced, and I saw his friends picking up their instruments and beginning to play, as Shang dragged me out of there.

'Thanks' I mused in a soft voice once we were away from the scary cheering crowd.

'It's okay' he said, with a casual air.

I smiled. 'I've had a great time, really. It was fun'

'Yeah, me too'

There was a moment of silence as we walked.

Then I stopped, because we had reached my neighborhood. 'I'll take it from here' I said, turning to him with a warm smile.

He approached me, and I surprised myself when I didn't step back. In fact, it made my heart begin to pump faster, and I once again noticed he had pretty eyes. Then he raised his arm and placed it on the column behind me, leaning over me. I didn't step back, curious at my own reactions. Shang's face was inches from mine now, and I could count his eyelashes.

'Listen' he began in a soft whisper, fixing his eyes on mine, 'I was wondering… if you'd like to… you know… get to hang with us again'

'Sure' I replied, smiling.

'Great' he beamed. 'Maybe you could even… join us'

My smile faded a little. 'I'd love to, but I can't. I mean, I can't leave my father, and…' my voice trailed off as soon as a picture of Zuko came to my mind.

'Well, anyways I'll get to see you again, right?' he said, and then he leaned even closer to me, our faces almost touching, and he closed his eyes.

I knew what was coming, and tried to force myself to do it, because Zuko didn't love me and he never would, and this guy was really interested in me, and he was rather cute. My indecision lasted until his lips barely brushed mine, and then I turned my face away.

'I can't.'

His smile disappeared, as he studied me.

'It's that guy you work with, isn't it? He's not really your cousin'

I stared at him, panicking. Was it so obvious?

'It's okay. I won't say a word'

'Thank you' I said, staring into his eyes. 'I really wished I could. I mean, you're great, Shang, you'll get someone who deserves you'

He glanced down, for a moment, with a sad smile. 'I hope whomever it is, she's as fun as you'

I looked down. 'I'm sorry'

'Don't be'

We stared at each other for a few seconds more, and then I leaned closer to him and softly kissed him on his cheek. 'Goodbye, Shang'

And I turned around and left, feeling hollow.

I hadn't walked five blocks when someone suddenly landed at my side. I jumped back, startled, but it was Zuko.

'Spirits!' I sighed. 'You scared me. Don't do that again, or I may die of a heart attack' I complained, and then turned around to walk home. But Zuko did not follow.

'Who was that guy?'

I froze on the spot, and turned around to pierce him with my eyes.

'You were spying on me?'

He shrugged. 'Uncle sent me to check you were alright. I saw you... singing and dancing with him' Suddenly there was poison in his voice, and the last words came out as a hiss. But I was still mad at him for dating that Jin girl and I ignored him. I huffed, and turned around to storm away. But his hand closed around my wrist and he pulled from me, forcing me to turn around.

'Why didn't you kiss him?' he growled low. Now his eyes were piercing me, and there was a wild expression on them that scared me a little. Nevertheless, I pulled away.

I snatched my hand from his grip, furious, but also hurt. 'What do you care? It's none of your business!' and I turned around to storm off again.

Then he grabbed my hand again and pulled harder from me, but this time he made me twirl around and he pinned me against the wall, in a dark alleyway by the side of the road.

'Zuko, what–' but my words were silenced when he slammed his lips against mine.

I twitched, still mad at him and terrified of losing control, and my hands clenched on his shirt. But far from making him stop, that increased the speed with which he moved his lips against mine. His hands were sliding from my waist to my back, and I suddenly felt warm, as his strong scent of smoke filled my nose. Then my hands opened without my permission and my fingertips sensed his strong chest, and then they travelled up over his collarbone and his shoulders, and before I noticed they were caressing his neck and sinking on his short hair. His mouth pressed against mine, and his tongue brushed my lower lip. I wanted to protest, because I had never felt like this before and I realized I was quickly losing control, as my lips began to move against his, too. I no longer knew where my hands were, or what my body was doing, all I knew was Zuko. Zuko's hands and lips over me and his warm firm body pressed against mine. The man I loved was kissing me. My lips opened to utter a complaint, but his tongue darted in my mouth and I heard him moan. Then his strong hands closed around my buttocks and lifted me, as he positioned himself between my legs, so that now my feet did not touch the ground and his body was the only thing holding me pinned to the wall. For the second time in my life I hated being so light. And then his lips left my mouth for a moment.

'Is this how you felt when I dated Jin? All this… wanting and longing?' he whispered in my ear, but I couldn't reply, because my voice had disappeared long ago, replaced by heavy breathing.

The warmth then spread all over my body and I felt like my skin was going to set on fire, and Zuko's hands were almost incinerating me, running up and down my spine, his fingertips stroking the skin beneath my blouse. Then his lips left my mouth once again and ran along my jaw and the curve of my neck, as he planted small kisses all over my collarbone. I felt something aching inside of me, throbbing in my lower abdomen, and the sensations drew me quickly out of control. Then his hand slid down to my inner thigh and the fire inside of me reached my brain. The last rational thought left me as I abandoned myself to the emotions that ravished me, feeling my body grinding against him too, and I heard my lips let out a hoarse whisper. 'Zuko!'

Then suddenly his lips left my skin and his hands stopped moving, and I opened my eyes. He was gasping for breath and staring at me, and I saw fire in his golden eyes, raw passion that had taken hold of him. But then his eyes darkened with confusion, and he stepped back, and I fell on the soles of my feet.

He gave two more steps back, and I shivered visibly, still shaken for the ripples of fire he had created inside of me, my body aching for him. Zuko turned around, giving his back on me, and took his hands to his head, as my trembling knees gave way and I slid down to the floor.

For a few minutes all we could hear was the pounding of our hearts and our panting. I took a hand to my hair and noticed it was all disheveled and raw, and the skin of my neck was still damp from his kisses.

'What…?' I began, my voice trailing off, not knowing what to say.

'I…' he began, his voice hoarse too. Then he turned back towards me and I saw his eyes were aching with confusion, pain and remorse. 'I'm so sorry' he whispered, and as he noticed the mess I was he approached me and helped me up.

I was at a loss of what to say, as confused as he was. I mean, it was Zuko, and I was deeply in love with him, but my brain was still too dazed to grasp what had just happened. His hands ran all over me to fix my clothes, but he was careful to barely brush my skin. Then he grabbed my hand and pulled from me, guiding me through the streets, as I tried to make sense of my body and what he had provoked in me, my mind filled with his moans and sighs as he kissed me.

Before I noticed, we were on the apartment door, and I felt the skin of my face burn with embarrassment. What would Iroh say?

But Zuko peeked inside before letting me in, and he sighed. 'He's asleep already. Come on, go in the bedroom and I'll wait till you get changed' he whispered to me.

I walked in, and stumbled over to the bedroom. There, I could not master the strength to undo my clothes, and I fell sitting on the bed, staring into space. It could have been minutes or hours later when Zuko walked inside.

He widened his eyes when he saw me sitting there still in my teashop uniform.

'I thought I told you to change' he whispered, as he frowned.

My gaze drifted towards him. 'Huh?'

He chuckled, and he sat at my side, a warm smile spreading all over his face. 'Okay, you may sleep with those clothes if you want. I'll take care of Pao tomorrow'

I blinked rapidly, doing my best effort to return to Earth for at least one second. 'Umm, no, I need to get changed… Will you wait outside or…?' I asked.

He smiled. 'I'll turn around'

I felt awkward as I removed the dress and put on my classic pajamas, my skin crawling at the knowledge that Zuko was here and I was virtually naked behind his back. Then I sneaked inside my bed, staring at the wall, and a few seconds later I heard Zuko's sheets rustle as he got inside his bed.

'Umm… Kira?' he whispered behind me.

'Hmm?'

'I have to ask something from you' His voice sounded strangled, as if he hated to say this and felt all awkward about it.

I widened my eyes, and froze, freaking out over what his next words would be. I failed to answer.

'Don't date any of those guys again. I promise I won't date any other girl of you don't date any more guys, okay?'

I bit my lip, and tried to sound sleepy. 'Sure, Zuko'

When I managed to close my eyes it was almost dawn.

* * *

**_Final A/N: _****_I understand you might think I went over the line with the singing duel, but it was fun to play my mp4 and try to find a song that fit as response of the previous one, and I wanted Kira to have her moment of flirting with some other guy, to get Zuko jealous. I do not listen to pop music only but all of these fitted the purpose of seduction and flirting that I wanted._**


	20. Lost

_**A/N: Okay, due to this being a rather boring and depressing day, I'm going and publishing some more stuff. I promise, THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER WITH SO MANY SONGS ON IT. At least in Book II. I haven't written Book III yet, but I'll try to keep it clean. I'm having writer's block anyway so I'm kind of lost. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the songs.**_

* * *

**Chapter 20: Lost**

I was twirling inside a maelstrom of feelings and images. Zuko's hair, his scent of smoke, his hands running through my body, the feel of his strong chest, the warmth that emanated from him, the taste of his lips, the feel of my nails sinking in his sweaty skin, blurs of his face close to mine as he kissed me and held me were drowning me into a wave, a surge that grew from my lower abdomen up into my lungs and heart and up into my brain, and I saw fireworks behind my closed eyes.

I opened my eyes and sprang up, panting heavily. I was in bed, and I was feeling hot and sweaty. I ran a hand through my hair and glanced at Zuko's bed. I sighed in relief when I saw it was empty. With surprise I felt a certain dampness between my legs. Holy spirits, had I just had a wet dream about Zuko?

_Ugh!_ I shivered in embarrassment.

Well, but what had happened last night was real. He had kissed me… and touched me. I still failed to understand why. I remembered the words he had whispered in my ear, and I realized he was jealous. But that was ridiculous! I mean, what did I mean to him? Nothing!

Or maybe I did mean more than I thought… No, growing false hope was the worst thing I could do to myself now. We were fine here. I didn't need to mess us up any more. Iroh was happy with his job and with a little bit of luck Zuko would get over his obsession with the Avatar soon.

I showered quickly and got dressed for work. As I walked into the dining room, Iroh greeted me with a smile.

'Zuko has gone to work' he said as he handed me a bowl of porridge. I didn't respond. 'But, I'm curious, what happened yesterday? He went after you and none of you showed up for the rest of the day…'

I blushed involuntarily. How could I explain? But Iroh smirked at my red face and turned around, and I knew I hadn't had to speak to give him the answer he needed.

'Pao was quite upset yesterday. He said he wanted both of you early today. If I were you I'd hurry.'

'W-What?' I blurted out, my mouth full of food. I swallowed hard. 'Why didn't you wake me?'

'Well, you seemed to be enjoying your sleep so much…'

His answer made me blush again, so hard that I felt my face sweaty again. _For the love of Agni, tell me he didn't notice what I was dreaming of_.

I cleared my throat nervously. 'W-What do you mean?'

'Oh well, you had such a peaceful smile on your face that I couldn't find it in me to wake you up' he answered, still giving me his back.

I withheld a sigh of sheer relief, and slurped down the remaining porridge as I got up.

'Do I look ok?' I asked Iroh, and he approached me to fix my hair a little.

'Beautiful as always, dear.' He gave me a warm smile.

'Thanks, Iroh' I replied quickly as I left.

I ran through the streets of Ba Sing Se, trying to avoid thinking about Zuko. But when I arrived, he was sweeping the floor before opening the shop.

My eyes feasted on him, almost as if they had a will of their own, and I couldn't help but remember the feel of his worked up body under my fingertips. I shook my head quickly and made it to the end of the shop, slipping nothing more than a whisper to Zuko, without looking at him. 'Good morning'

Pao gave me the long boring speech I was expecting, about being responsible with your work and blah blah blah, and I had to hold myself from rolling my eyes. And then I returned to the main part of the shop, where Zuko was still sweeping. He wanted to leave it real clean, it seemed.

I perched myself on my platform and sat comfortably, tuning my guitar. But my eyes kept flickering back to Zuko, and I realized I had to do something to get him out of my sight or I would scream with desire.

'Umm… I think the floor is clean enough now' I muttered.

He looked at me and I felt shivers running down my spine as his golden eyes pierced me.

'Oh, you think so?' he muttered back, and his eyes were dazed, as if his mind was somewhere else.

'I think it's about time to open up' I replied.

'Alright.'

He went to the main door and opened it, and he carried the sign out, and then he quickly strolled to the back of the shop. I sighed. This was going to be a loong day.

* * *

_**Zuko's POV:**_

Zuko scurried to the back of the shop, running away from Kira's eyes. The jagged beating of his heart warned him that she hadn't gone unnoticed to him.

This was uncomfortable. And unexpected. Zuko was at a loss with himself. How had this happened to him?

His mind began to fill with flashbacks of all the time he had spent with Kira. The way she had begged him not to leave her again after his absence, her eyes blurry with tears, how she liked to lean her head on his shoulder, the feel of her cold small hand in his, and the protectiveness she had generated in him when she confronted Jet. She had become his safety, his security. When things got too rough, or his own feelings of anger and frustration threatened to overcome him, she had always been there for him, grasping his hand, helping him cool down. He realized he had always taken her for granted, until yesterday.

Oh, how upset he had been! He could still feel the burning hatred against that boy she had danced with, flirted with. He remembered with a grimace the way the boy had stared at her swaying hips, and how jealousy had driven him mad. But why? He didn't have the right to tell Kira what to do with her life. He didn't own her. He needed her, he needed her at his side, but he couldn't force her to do so. He couldn't force her to be his friend.

Zuko snorted to himself. _Friend_. How ridiculous it sounded. But he didn't have another word, he didn't even want to think of other word to describe them. He just… could not afford to fall in love now. Love was bad. Love hurt. Love was overrated. And the last thing he could ever want was to fall in love. Specially not with Kira.

What was he to her, anyway? A banished prince, a fugitive. The man that had taken her freedom away, who had failed to capture the Avatar. And now he had nothing to give her, nothing at all. He was just another refugee here in Ba Sing Se, the city of walls and secrets.

And he was a marked man. He had a huge scar on his face to remind him of his past.

The sound of the first customers in the shop dragged him out of his confusing thoughts. He set the kettles on the fire and fixed his apron, as he walked out to take the orders.

He couldn't refrain from glancing at Kira. She was already singing.

'_If I let you love me, be the one adored, would you go all the way? Be the one I'm looking for. If I let you have me, be the one adored, would you go all the way? Stay…'_

Zuko huffed as he returned to the kitchen, to prepare the orders. Some song she had to choose to sing today.

It was clear to him that she did not love him, she could not love him, but what did he feel for her? It was nerve-racking not to be able to answer that question. Last night was still clear in his memory. The feel of her skin under his fingers, the taste of her mouth, her smell of jasmine and honey… and salt. The feel of her small body wiggling against his own.

_Dammit, Zuko_, he cursed himself, when he noticed his heartbeat beginning to speed up.

As he walked out to serve the first tea, Kira was singing a different song.

'_And I'm in so deep… You know I'm such a fool for you. You've got me wrapped around your finger, oh, do you have to let it linger? Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?'_

He had to hold back another huff as he hid in the kitchen. Why did she insist on making this so uncomfortable for them both?

Zuko shook his head quickly, and resumed the course of his thoughts where he had left them. It wasn't okay what had happened between them last night. He had pinned her against the wall, beating her every restraint. He had _forced_ her, and thank Agni she sighed his name, because it made him realize how she was feeling, and it snapped him out of his own feelings, making him stop. He had never been more ashamed of anything. Yes, she had responded to his touch, but she was probably still a virgin, and what other way would a fourteen year old girl react to such closeness?

Zuko felt incredibly guilty, and he didn't even dare to discuss it with his Uncle. He really needed guidance right now, because his feelings twirling inside and his heart fluttering in his chest were not helping him find the way.

'_First time that I saw your eyes, boy you looked right through me. Play it cool, boy I knew you knew, that love hit me. You've got me tripping, stumbling, flipping, fumbling, clumsy cause I'm falling in love' _

Kira's voice now sounded louder, even reaching the back of the shop. It seemed she had reached that point where the lyrics spilled out of her soul. He knew she could get there. Hell, the previous day she had gone so hard on him that Pao had kicked her out.

'Aargh!' Zuko groaned in frustration, holding his head. He was getting a headache already. He needed to figure out his feelings, but they insisted on evading and confusing him. His hands clenched in fists at the table, and his natural determination took over.

_Ok, we need to accept something. This girl has affected you greatly. You are attracted to her, you have to admit it_.

But he couldn't fall in love now.

_No, no one said anything about love_, he agreed with himself. She… could be beautiful, smart, strong and independent, but he had other things to think about. He had to resume his quest for the Avatar as soon as possible, and he made up his mind at that same moment. He had to leave Ba Sing Se, and Kira. He needed her off his life. She was twisting and turning everything he was and everything he'd trained to be.

But just to think that he'd have to roam the Earth Kingdom again without her made him feel sick.

With a gasp, he realized he had forgotten about the orders, and he quickly prepared the trays with tea for the several customers that were waiting.

Kira's song had changed again by the time he walked in.

'_Close your eyes, give me your hand, darling, can you feel my heart beating? Do you understand? Do you feel the same? Am I only dreaming? Or is this burning, an eternal flame?'_

Agni, was she ever gonna stop? Or was she going to torture him with love songs all day?

Zuko's certainty then vanished in midair, as his eyes accidentally fell over the singing beauty sitting across the room. He had to admit it, he was mad for her.

And then her fingers went on to play a different melody, as he served the last tea. He suddenly felt her blue eyes piercing his neck, and then her voice filled the shop again, and Zuko felt his stupid heart skip a beat.

'_Beauty prince of only sixteen, he had some trouble with himself._

_She was always there to help him, he always belonged to someone else'_

At that he froze. Was she singing about him? No way.

'_I drove for miles and miles and wound up at your door. _

_I've had you so many times but somehow I want more.'_

Zuko turned around, and found Kira's blue eyes fixed on him, and he listened to her, transfixed in spite of himself.

'_I don't mind spending every day, out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay a while._

_And she will be loved, and she will be loved…'_

Zuko noticed her eyes were turning watery, and he realized with a start that she was, actually, singing just for him.

'_Tap on my window, knock on my door, I want to make you feel beautiful'_ she sang, her voice shaking, and Zuko suddenly understood what she meant. His heart jumped in his chest as he took a hand to his scar. She nodded almost imperceptibly.

'_I know I tend to get so insecure, doesn't matter anymore!_

_It's not always rainbows and butterflies, it's compromise that moves us along, yeah._

_My heart is full and my door's always open, you come anytime you want'_

Now she was crying in earnest, the tears rolling down her face as she confessed everything she felt for him. Zuko was frozen in the spot, he couldn't feel anything or say anything, driven for the power of her emotions. But his heart was racing in his chest, and his hands were shaking.

'_I don't mind spending every day, out on your corner in the pouring rain,_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay a while._

_And you will be loved, and you will be loved…'_

The world dissolved around Zuko, and the only thing that existed was Kira and him. The girl standing now in front of him, across the room, holding her guitar, and shouting her heart out to him.

'_I know where you hide, alone with your scar._

_Know all of the things that make you who you are._

_I know that goodbye means nothing at all, _

_Comes back and makes me catch him every time he falls'_

She walked down the room until she reached him, whispering the following words because her voice was cracking too much to sing.

'_Tap on my window, knock on my door. I want to make you feel beautiful'_ and with those words she placed her cold small dark-skinned hand on his scar, and he closed his eyes, fireworks exploding behind his eyelids.

He suddenly knew she had touched his only vulnerable spot, his weakness, his flaw, his core. And he knew in that instant that he was lost. Lost because he needed her. Lost because he trusted her with his life. Lost because she had wormed her way through his shell and was now grabbing hold of his heart. Lost because by singing to him that he was beautiful, and referring to his scar, she had touched him at his deepest point, reached his very soul. Lost because he had never felt more vulnerable and fragile since he had lost his mother.

He opened his eyes, and as his insides twirled around in an eternal tornado, he lost himself in her eyes as she finished the song.

'_I don't mind spending every day, out on your corner in the pouring rain, oh._

_Look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay a while._

_And she will be loved, she will be loved._

_Please don't try so hard to say goodbye…_

_Please don't try so hard to say goodbye…_

_Please don't try so hard to say goodbye…_'

Then she leaned into him, probably to kiss him, but the surge of emotions he was feeling was too much for him and he stormed out of the shop and into the long cobbled streets of Ba Sing Se.

* * *

**_Kira's POV:_**

As Zuko stormed away from me and from the shop, I felt a huge emptiness inside of me, at his rejection. I loved him, and I had finally come clean about it. And he had run away. I looked around, as my tears flowed freely now, and I saw all the customers staring mouth-opened at me. I froze, not knowing what to do or say.

At that precise moment, Iroh walked in through the front doors. He stopped when he saw my face covered with tears, and searched the room for Zuko. When he didn't see him, he silently interrogated me with his eyes.

I didn't say anything, but it was like that with Iroh, you didn't have to speak for him to understand you. From just one look into your eyes, he _knew_.

'Go get him' a young lady sitting right beside me said, breaking the heavy silence, and I turned to look at her, dazed. She had the most sympathetic look on her pointed face. 'Go get him' she repeated.

And then I regained control of my muscles and I sprinted to the door, in middle of a general applause from all the customers. Apparently teenage love was something people adored.

Iroh smiled at me as I ran past him, and I threw myself at the doors, hoping I hadn't lost him yet. 'Zuko!'

But the street was empty. The man I loved had disappeared.


	21. Lake Laogai

**Chapter 21: Lake Laogai**

* * *

**_Zuko's POV:_**

Zuko was strolling down the streets of Ba Sing Se, barely noticing where his feet were leading him, as he tried to make sense of everything. He had never felt more vulnerable in his life, and he hated the feeling. He knew that he was lost for Kira, and that he would do anything for her, and he hated her for making him feel like this. What right did she have to make him fall in love with her? What right did she have to rule his heart?

She was nothing, no one. And yet she was everything to him. _Agni, why did this have to happen to me?_, he wondered.

Love was the last thing he wanted to think about now. They were finally making a living in Ba Sing Se, and even though he hated to be a refugee and he missed his home and the luxuries of the Royal Palace, they had finally found peace. But noo, Kira had to tear everything apart by falling in love with him and making him fall in love with her too. He blamed her for stealing his heart.

Zuko stopped for a moment to get some air and try to cool down.

He bit his lower lip. What was he going to do now? He didn't want to face Kira, he didn't want to see her teary face and her beautiful eyes, he didn't want to listen to her soft voice. But he would have to return to the apartment sooner or later. Maybe he'd have a word with his Uncle. Maybe Uncle could help him clear the mess Kira had made of him.

As he was thinking this, a piece of paper flew by, and he caught it instinctively. He eyed it, trying to find something to distract him from his disturbing thoughts, and he did. The flyer said something about a flying bison… Now where had he seen a flying – The Avatar!

Zuko quickly turned around the corner, getting in a small alleyway, and he climbed up the windows until he reached the roof of a house, and he scanned the city around him.

He didn't see any trace of the Avatar, but he saw many flyers still floating down to the ground, which meant the bald kid had probably just flown over and thrown those papers. Zuko grinned. This was exactly what he needed! He hadn't lost everything yet. If he found out where the bison was, he could use it to lure the Avatar into a trap and take him to his father, and he would regain his honor, his birthright and his throne.

And he would get away from Kira.

He jumped down the roof and ran through the maze of streets to the apartment, looking for his Blue Spirit disguise. He would make things right. He couldn't afford to lose this chance.

* * *

_**Kira's POV:**_

I walked through the streets around the tea shop for an hour, trying to find Zuko, but he had disappeared. My heart was broken once again, and now I was mad at myself for coming up with that song. Clearly Zuko would freak out, what was I thinking?

I was still immersed in my internal debate when I returned to the shop, and I entered to see Iroh talking to a big broad-shouldered man, while the tea shop owner was standing next to Iroh, his face a mask of fear. He was talking to Iroh, his voice betraying a hint of despair. 'Mushi, if you stay, I will make you Assistant Manager. Wait, Senior Assistant Manager'

'I'll provide you with a new apartment in the upper ring. The Tea Shop is yours to do whatever you want. Complete creative freedom' the big man chimed in.

_Wait, they were offering Iroh his own tea shop?_

Iroh considered for just a second. 'Do I get to name the shop?'

'Of course!'

Iroh's face lit up in a radiant smile, and Pao's became white like paper. 'Uh, Senior Executive Assistant Manager?' he pleaded, but Iroh had made up his mind. He spun around and placed the teapot in Pao's hands, who walked away, shoulders down, looking defeated.

I approached Iroh, smiling, a questioning look in my eyes.

'Did you hear, daughter? This man wants to give us our own tea shop in the upper ring of the city!' he said excitedly.

'That's right, young lady' the rich man confirmed gravely. 'Your life is about to change for the better'

My smile widened, and I felt happy for Iroh. He deserved this.

Iroh bowed and the man imitated him before leaving the shop.

'Congratulations, Iroh!' I said, hugging him.

'Thank you, my dear' he answered, returning the hug. And then he broke it and he held me at arm length, to examine me. 'Have you found him?'

I shook my head, as I looked down dejectedly.

'Well, don't worry. He has to come home sooner or later, and I'll be there waiting for him' he assured me.

Then he removed the apron. 'We have nothing more to do here, why don't we go home?'

I grimaced. 'I'm gonna go and try to find Zuko. If I can't find him, I'll return home at sunset'

Iroh stared at me, a look of concern in his golden eyes. 'Very well, but be careful'

I nodded and left the shop again. I wasn't going to waste time in getting changed, I'd return the dress to Pao in the morning.

I roamed the city for the whole day, but there was no trace of Zuko. I returned home at sunset, as I had promised, feeling more depressed than ever, and I was surprised to find Iroh waiting for me, not with tea but holding the black suit I had purchased a week ago. I had bought it just in case, because it never occurred to me I'd have to go chase after Zuko, plus that he'd be wearing his Blue Spirit costume.

But apparently that's what had happened tonight, from what Iroh explained. He had noticed Zuko was pretty upset, and he feared he'd do something wrong. He said Zuko had found a flyer in which the Avatar asked for information about his flying bison. I gaped at that. How had he become separated from Appa? From what little I knew about Aang, he adored his bison.

Iroh said Zuko wanted to find Appa and use him to capture the Avatar. I bit my lip nervously. Just when I thought he'd be over his obsession, it had returned stronger than ever. Iroh feared Zuko would stir up trouble.

I did not hesitate a single second.

'We must go after him'

He grinned. 'I knew I could count on you'

'You can always count on me, Iroh' I said as I snatched the black suit from his hands and went to the bedroom to get changed.

Minutes later we were on the streets, and Iroh said he'd seen Zuko take a southern direction from the window of the apartment, and the best part, he had left less than five minutes before I arrived home, which meant we could still catch up with him. I paid attention to every noise as we scurried deeper and deeper into Ba Sing Se.

Suddenly I heard people talking ahead of me, and I hurried forward. One block ahead there was a group of people surrounding two Dai Li agents, all of them dressed in what looked like their pajamas and holding lamps.

'I tell you, it was the Blue Spirit!' an old man was saying insistently.

'I saw him run by my window, five minutes ago!' a lady said.

I signaled Iroh to stay behind, and I approached the complaining neighbors as stealthily as I could. Then there was the rustling sound of feet running our way, and another Dai Li officer appeared from around the corner behind me.

'It's him, he ambushed me!' the agent said, and the other two Dai Li rushed towards him, pushing the neighbors aside. Fortunately I was the closest person to the Dai Li, and I managed to catch a whisper from the agent that had just appeared. 'He asked for the bison. He's going to Lake Laogai. We must warn the boss'

I grinned to myself, and as the Dai Li ran away the citizens followed them, complaining aloud about the safety of the city and the effectiveness of the secret police. I sneaked the other way around and gave a small detour to find Iroh.

'I know where he's headed' I whispered to Iroh, and I directed our steps south, remembering the maps of the city I'd studied when we had just arrived. I knew there was a large lake within the outer wall of the Ba Sing Se, and I was pretty sure the name of it was Laogai.

Iroh and I sneaked our way out of the main city, and as we reached the top of a small hill, behind which I guessed we'd find the lake, we saw the clear calm water, and I thanked Yue for the bright moonlight that illuminated our steps.

As we stared into the lake, I saw a tiny figure climbing up another hill at our right. I signaled Iroh to follow me and we went after his steps, closing up the distance quickly. At a certain moment, Iroh stepped on a small branch and it cracked, and the figure ahead froze and looked over his shoulder, and as I crouched behind a bush and Iroh did the same, I spotted the distinctive demonic markings of the Blue Spirit mask.

Zuko must have been really anxious to get here to be so reckless, I guessed. Because if he had been as careful as I knew he could be, he would have spotted us long before we saw him and he would have hidden, and we'd never have found him.

But now, after a minute of careful scanning of the land around him, he resumed his climbing of the slope.

He seemed to know exactly where he was going, for he stopped at a certain point of the hill and firebended at one particular spot, where he blasted a hole on the wall and disappeared through it. When we reached it, we saw a large tunnel that led underground. I created a block of ice with water from the lake and Iroh and I covered it with dirt to make it look like stone, and then we entered the tunnel and I moved the block of ice over the opening, as we scurried in.

We quickly picked up Zuko's trail, following his footsteps on the mud that had accumulated on the tunnels for what seemed like many years; and that was the only way we avoided getting lost down there. It was a maze of tunnels, that formed a complicated structure. Peeking inside some of the rooms, I saw the Dai Li were _washing people's brains_.

Or at least that's what it looked like, because there were about a dozen women in one tiny room and all their eyes were dilated as they repeated what a Dai Li agent said word by word.

I bit my lip, wishing I could do something, but I knew that even the Avatar would have a hard time stopping the entire operation, so I forced myself to move on. Horrible as all that was, I had one main concern now and it was Zuko.

We finally caught up with Zuko, and we saw him entering a chamber. Iroh and I sneaked all the way up to the door, and I heard a low familiar rumble.

'Appa!' I gasped, and when we opened the door, we saw Zuko's silhouette before the huge flying bison.

Zuko quickly unsheathed his katanas as he turned around to face us, but he lowered them when he saw it was Iroh and me.

'Uncle! Kira!'

'So, the Blue Spirit' Iroh said, feigning puzzlement. 'I wonder who could be behind that mask'

Then Zuko removed his mask. 'What are you doing here?'

Iroh answered before I had the chance to. 'I was just about to ask you the same thing. What do you plan to do now that you have found the Avatar's bison? Keep it locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?'

'First I have to get it out of here' Zuko replied, his eyes fixed on Appa.

'And then what?' Iroh shouted. I stepped back, staring at him stunned. I had never seen him lose his temper like that before, not even when he had tried to snap me out of my depression when Zuko had left. 'You never think these things through!' he accused Zuko, who gritted his teeth. 'This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole! You had him, and then you had nowhere to go!'

_Woow, they hadn't briefed me on that one._

'I would have figured something out!' Zuko retorted, but Iroh had lost his patience.

'NO! If his friends hadn't found you, you would have frozen to death!'

'I know my own destiny, Uncle' Zuko muttered, evidently anguished. I noticed his fists were clenched, and I realized Iroh's words were falling deep into him. I was unsure of what to do. I wouldn't let him hurt Appa, but I was in love with him, and watching that torture in his eyes was killing me as well.

'Is it your own destiny, or is it a destiny someone has tried to force on you?' Iroh insisted.

'Stop it, Uncle. I have to do this' Zuko replied, tormented.

I rushed forward and stood in front of him, staring intensely into his golden eyes, as I grabbed his arms. 'Please, Zuko. You know what's the right thing to do. I know you know. You're not this person, this is not like you! I can see in your eyes what you're going through and I know you're confused, so please listen to us!' I begged, but his gaze became ever more pained with my words as he gently pushed me aside.

'You don't understand' he muttered.

I grabbed his shoulder. 'No, precisely, I do understand! Do you think I don't care about you? Do you think I like doing this? Do you think I enjoy watching you suffer? I love you, Zuko! I love you, and I want what's best for you! And trust me, this is not the best way! You know this as well as I do!' I confessed, and his face contorted with pain, but he looked aside.

'I am begging you Prince Zuko!' Iroh insisted furiously behind us. 'It's time for you to look inward, and begin asking yourself the big questions: who are you and what do _you_ want'

Then Zuko cried out in frustration, releasing his arms from my grip, and he hurled his katanas on the ground. A deep silence filled the cave, as he panted and Iroh and I waited, expectant.

Then he drew a deep breath and picked the katanas up, as he walked towards Appa. I gasped, and hurried forward, as the huge bison stepped back in fear of the swords, but then Zuko spun around and cut the chains. Then I stopped, right behind him, and Iroh and I watched in silence, as he released the bison, who set off immediately after seeing his chains severed. He vanished through the ceiling, and Zuko stood there, head and shoulders down, frozen and looking defeated.

I walked up to him, and stepped in front of him. He did not react, and then I hugged him. 'I am proud of you' I whispered, and his arms wrapped around me.

Then he broke the hug, and he stared at me, and I could see the torment inside his beautiful eyes, as he tried to explain himself to me.

'I…'

I felt an immense pity for him, as I realized he was still confused about his feelings and that he needed guidance. I placed my finger on his lips. 'You don't have to say anything until you're sure of it. Now we should go'

He gave me a grateful look and I pulled from his hand, dragging him out of the chamber. Then we sneaked our way out of the underground fortress, and appeared on what seemed like a long dock that I hadn't seen before, when we had arrived at the lake.

I looked at the sky and saw it was barely past dawn, and the sun was rising on the east, and we could all see the shape of a huge animal flying away on the sunlight, with people on its back.

I smiled, thinking how glad Aang must have been to recover his hairy friend, and then I turned back to Zuko and Iroh. Zuko was holding the Blue Spirit mask on his hand, and he was staring at it.

Iroh rested a hand on his shoulder.

'You did the right thing, nephew. Leave it behind'

Then Zuko walked to the edge and dropped the mask into the lake, looking afflicted. I realized that this gesture was very similar to what he had done when he had cut his ponytail. Once again he was resigning everything he had known, and any chance he had of returning home to his father sank down in the placid waters of Lake Laogai, alongside his alter-ego.

I walked to him after some seconds, and grabbed his hand. He turned to face me, and I saw a tiny smile beginning to form on his face, as he squeezed my hand in appreciation of my support.

We returned to our apartment in complete silence, though I never let go of Zuko's hand. When we entered, Iroh tried to reassure Zuko of his choice.

'You did the right thing, letting the Avatar's bison go free'

But Zuko suddenly snatched his hand from mine to take it to his head. I looked at him and I suddenly noticed his brow was covered in sweat and he was pale as a ghost. 'I don't feel right' he mumbled, and then he collapsed right into my arms.

'Zuko!'

Iroh ran to my side, and we carried Zuko to his bed, and Iroh removed his clothes, as I pressed a hand to his forehead, and I noticed with alarm his temperature was really high.

'He's burning!'

I immediately drew water from my waterbag and pressed my hands with water on his forehead, but Iroh placed a hand on my arm.

'No. Let him sweat this off.'

'But…'

'You can't help him now. His mind is in conflict, and the metamorphosis will take some time'

'What?' I asked, confused, not looking at him, focusing my entire attention in Zuko, who was unconscious and now bare-chested. My heart seemed to ignite in love for him, and it pained me to see the strong Prince I had fallen in love with, so vulnerable. I'd protect him. I'd take care of him.

Iroh gently pulled my hands off Zuko, and as I turned to look at him he stared at me intensely.

'Let him go' he said softly. I let him take my hands off Zuko, as the tears began to roll down my face.

'What's happening to him, Iroh?'

'He needs to process his decision. He only needs you to stay at his side, and make sure he has enough blankets and water to drink when he awakens'

'I'll do that' I said determinedly. 'Why don't you go arrange everything about the new tea shop with Quon? I'll take good care of him'

'I don't doubt it' Iroh said with a smile, and then he left through the door.

I arranged the cushions around Zuko, trying to make him as comfortable as possible, and put the teapot on the fire, trying to be patient and wait for him to get better, ignoring the complaints of my heart, which was urging me to go and lay at his side, and ignore Iroh's advice.

Soon enough, he began to toss around and moan, and I placed some water on his forehead, trying to calm him down.

'You have an intense fever, my love' I whispered, though I couldn't know if he was listening. 'I hope this helps cool you down'

'So thirsty…' he mumbled, and his eyes flashed open as he tried to sit up, blinking several times, as if he couldn't see well. I gently pushed him back down.

'Here you have' I said, supporting his shoulders as I waterbended clean water from a bucket I had filled earlier on at his mouth. His skin was burning hot and trickling with sweat. 'Iroh says you need to stay under the blankets and sweat this out'

He drank all the water eagerly, and when I stopped he spotted the bucket next to me. He reached out and gulped down the whole bucket, splashing some on his bare chest. Then he tossed it aside, as he settled down, coughing.

'Oh, Zuko' I mumbled in concern, as I lovingly tucked him into bed.

Shortly afterwards, he stopped shivering and darted into deep sleep, his breath steady. I touched his forehead, noticing he was still burning, but he seemed to be processing it on his dreams.

For a brief moment I wondered if I'd show up in his dreams, since he was definitely a large part of mine.

I lay down at his side, tenderly brushing his damp hair from his peaceful face, and once again admiring the line of his jaw and his long eyelashes.

At nightfall, Iroh returned, with a large grin on his face, that faded when he saw Zuko was still sick.

I was preparing some tea, waiting for him, but paying close attention to Zuko's every move. Iroh sighed as he kneeled beside the sleeping prince, and he placed his hand on his forehead.

'It will take some more time' he muttered under his breath. I gave him a cup of tea, and kneeled down at Zuko's other side.

Zuko seemed to sense his uncle's presence, for he began to toss and moan again, and then he opened his eyes. Iroh poured another cup of tea.

'You should know this is not a natural sickness. But that shouldn't stop you from enjoying tea', he said softly, and I rushed forward to hold Zuko's head as he drank.

Then he turned his gaze to me, and grabbed my hand, confused.

'What… what's happening…?' he asked feebly, disorientated. I gently kissed his temple, while Iroh explained.

'Your critical decision, what you did beneath that lake… It was in such conflict with your image of yourself, that you are now at war within your own mind and body'

'What does that mean?' Zuko replied, still lost, and he collapsed in my arms in a fit of coughing.

'You're going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience, but when you come out of it, you will be the beautiful Prince you were always meant to be' and then he mopped Zuko's forehead with a damp cloth. I gently lay his head back in the pillow, and drew some water to cool down his forehead.

Zuko seemed to relish the cold water, for he sighed and his face relaxed a little, his breath steadying up as he fell asleep again.

Iroh placed a hand on my shoulder. 'You should go to sleep too. He will be fine, and you haven't moved away from him a single second'

I gently shoved his hand off. 'Thanks Iroh, but I'm not leaving him. I can't'

'He will need you to be alright when he wakes up' he pointed out.

I looked at him over my shoulder. 'I appreciate your concern, Iroh, but I'll be just fine'

Iroh raised one eyebrow, but withdrew from the room and left me alone with Zuko. I maintained the water on his forehead until his face began to regain some color. Then I removed the water and touched his forehead. His temperature was falling. I sighed, and kissed his temple again.

'You'll feel better in the morning, I promise' I whispered, as I settled some cushions around me to get comfortable for the night, since I didn't plan to sleep. I watched Zuko sleep for hours. At a particular moment he sprang up with a scream, panting, his eyes wide. I leaned closer to him and touched his forehead, sensing he was still warm. He jolted back, frightened, but relaxed when he recognized my face, and then he took a hand to his face, feeling his scar.

'Are you okay?' I asked him, shifting closer to him as I stared at him with concern.

'Just a nightmare' he mumbled, almost to himself, and without another word he lay down again, turning his back on me.

I remained on my spot, unsure of what to do, but he fell asleep again as quickly as he had awakened, and after a few minutes of listening to his steady breath, I retreated over my cushions, watching him.

Suddenly I heard a noise, and I opened my eyes, realizing with immense guilt that it was morning and I had fallen asleep.

Zuko groaned low as he stretched out, fixing his golden eyes on me. I was at his side in a second.

'How are you feeling?'

And then suddenly his arms were around my waist and he pulled from me, making me fall on top of him. Then he rolled us over until he was on top of me, and he gave me a devilish smile.

'Never been better'

And then he leaned in and deposited a soft kiss on my lips. I closed my eyes, feeling my heart go wild with emotions. When he broke up I opened my eyes, staring at him incredulously. His lovely amber eyes were filled with passion, but not raw passion like the night he had pinned me against the wall, but passion mixed with affection.

'I love you' he whispered, and I realized with a start that that was what love looked like in someone's eyes.

I laughed shortly, not daring to believe my senses. 'The fever's making you delirious' I said, taking my hand to his forehead. But he grabbed my hand before I could touch him.

'No, I just feel…' he drew a long breath, closing his eyes. 'Better'

'I'm glad' I whispered softly, and then he looked at me and his eyes were full of love again, as he leaned in to kiss me again. But this time the kiss was longer and more intense, and he seemed to savor all of it. When the beating of my heart threatened to deafen me, I gently pushed him away.

'Iroh must have made breakfast. We shouldn't make him wait' I said.

Zuko smiled, the largest and warmest smile I had ever seen on his face.

'You're right'


	22. Bliss

**A/N: So, turns out we're nearing the end of Book II. I have been working on Book III, and I've drafted two more chapters, but nothing good enough to publish so far, so it might take a while. I am incredibly grateful for all your support, and thank you specially for bearing with my songs. I've read all your reviews, and I'm trying real hard to appease all of you awesome readers. I've tried to tone down the elements you dislike, such as the songs and Kira's awesomeness (meaning I don't want her to be a Mary Sue, but unfortunately my writing tends in that direction so I have to fight the urge lol; and in fact I deleted songs from this chapter) And I promise I'll continue to bust my ass ****trying to get some more publishable material from Book III. Thanks in advance, and don't forget to R&R.**

**As you may have noticed, I'm trying to upload Wednesdays and Sundays, but tomorrow I won't be home so I'm bringing this early to you guys. It's sort of a filler chapter, and it is kinda crappy, but I felt I owed Kira and Zuko some time together.**

**Spoiler: at the end of this chapter it gets slightly smutty, so if you're underage be warned and blah blah blah, you know the rest.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the songs, nor the characters. All of ATLA belongs to Bryan Konietzko and Michael Di Martino (best creators ever btw), except for Kira, who is my invention.**

* * *

**Chapter 22: Bliss**

That morning I perceived a deep change in Zuko. Iroh was right, it had been a metamorphosis indeed. I noticed his eyes were different. There had always been something hiding at the bottom of them when I looked, sometimes it was resentment, sometimes anger, sometimes melancholy. But today, his eyes were pure and transparent, and my heart leaped in my chest from just looking at him.

Besides, he was… happy. There was no other way to describe it. That afternoon we went with Iroh to the opening of the new tea shop, which he had decided to call The Jasmine Dragon, and Zuko had held my hand all the way.

At one moment, he stopped at a flower shop and he bought a beautiful jasmine, and he tugged it in my hair, above my ear. His hands were warm, and softer than silk, and his smile dazzled me, as if I was staring at the sun itself.

Later on, we were staring at the tea shop as it slowly began to get filled with people, Zuko's arm around my waist. I felt so comfortable at his side, and I snuggled against his shoulder, as I watched Iroh's eyes glimmer with emotion.

'Who thought when we came to this city as refugees, that I'd end up owning my own tea shop. Follow your passion, Zuko, and life will reward you' Iroh said emotionally.

Zuko smiled. 'Congratulations, Uncle'

'I'm very thankful' Iroh replied.

'You deserve it. The Jasmine Dragon will be the best tea shop in the city' Zuko said confidently.

'Absolutely, Iroh' I agreed.

'No, I'm thankful because you two decided to share this special day with me' Iroh said, staring at us in turn. 'It means more to me than you know'

I grinned, but Zuko left my waist to hug Iroh warmly, to our surprise. He then broke the hug. 'Now let's make this people some tea!' he said enthusiastically.

'Yes!' Iroh replied eagerly. 'Let's make some tea!'

Iroh walked to the back of the shop, and Zuko followed after giving me a chaste kiss.

I watched them go with a smile, and walked to my platform, which was pretty much like the one I had in Pao's shop, but the dress I wore now was way more comfortable, and the cushions too, and I began playing a soft but happy melody, reflecting all of our feelings.

I played for a while, and then the warmth inside of me began to fill me with joy, and many songs began to come up to my head, as I thought of Zuko and this wonderful feeling of knowing that we loved each other and belonged to each other, this intense bliss I had never experienced and that made me feel complete. I began singing the notes of a song known as "Teenage Dream".

And now I was singing my heart out again, and I realized I was going over the line a little with the rhythm and the volume of my voice, so I tuned in a different song, but after a minute I bit my lip, realizing it wasn't the proper one either. I took a minute to think, and then the perfect song came up.

My fingers paced over the guitar and the soft melody immediately drew some customers' attention.

'_Well you done done me and you bet I felt it_

_I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted_

_I fell right through the cracks, now I'm trying to get back._

_Before the cool done run out I'll be giving it my bestest_

_And nothing's gonna stop me but divine intervention_

_I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some_

_But I won't hesitate, no more, no more_

_It cannot wait, I'm yours._

_Well open up your mind and see like me_

_Open up your plans and damn, you're free_

_Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love_

_Listen to the music of the moment people dance and sing_

_We're just one big family_

_And it's our god-forsaken right to be loved, loved, loved, loved, loved'_

I was rewarded with grins from some customers, who seemed to appreciate the environment and the style of the tea shop besides the tea, and I spotted Iroh standing at the front of the shop. He gave me a large grin as well, satisfied. I winked at him as I kept playing, and my eyes searched the shop for Zuko.

He was serving tea at the farthest corner, and as he turned around he saw me looking at him, and I sang the following lyrics to him alone.

'_So I won't hesitate, no more, no more_

_It cannot wait, I'm sure_

_There's no need to complicate, our time is short_

_This is our fate, I'm yours'_

He gave me a smile and he shook his head lightly, with that look of a father that should admonish a child for misbehaving but can't bring himself to it. Half the shop realized I was looking at him, and as they turned to stare at him, Zuko blushed slightly, but then he smiled devilishly and walked across the shop towards me with determination.

I interrupted the song, wondering what was going through his mind, and then he reached my platform and I got to my feet as he climbed up.

Then he gently took the guitar from my hands and placed it on the cushion beside me. I gave him a questioning look, and then he flung an arm around my waist and pushed me backwards to kiss me.

The whole shop burst out clapping and I felt my face burn in embarrassment. Then I opened my eyes and stared at Zuko's amber ones.

'What are you doing?'

He gave me a wicked smile. 'If they want to see, let them see. I want everyone to know you are taken already, and you're mine.'

I giggled, still deeply embarrassed, as he pulled me back up. 'At sunset, I'll be waiting for you outside. Uncle said we can both leave by then'

I felt my heart go wild with his closeness, once again, but as soon as he had said those words, he left, ignoring the people's loud chatter.

I bit my lip nervously, blushing hard, and I bowed before I sat down again to keep playing, naturally earning another loud applause from the customers.

Now Zuko was definitely different. He had always tried to avoid calling attention to himself, and normally, when I'd sing about him, I could see him die with embarrassment. But today he had taken the initiative and given a show to all these people, and all that just to kiss me. It was flattering, in a way, but also slightly unnerving. We didn't really need to call the attention, and he had made it obvious that we weren't cousins, blowing up our cover.

At sunset I walked out, having changed clothes, and carrying my guitar on my back, and I found Zuko waiting for me. He approached me smiling.

'Hey'

He flung his arms around my waist and deposited a short kiss on my lips. I leaned back and grabbed his shoulders, eyeing him suspiciously.

'Are you sure you're feeling okay? This is just not like you'

He chuckled. 'Actually, it is like me. I'm a jealous guy'

I laughed. 'Since when?'

'From the moment you accepted me'

I gave him a devious smile. 'I don't recall doing that'

He replied with another twisted grin, before leaning in to kiss me. 'I'm afraid it's too late to back down'

I sighed after breaking the kiss. 'I guess I'm too naïve, right?'

He widened his eyes, surprised that I'd use that remark he always used to tell me. 'No. You're not naïve. You're smart, strong, beautiful… and mine'

'_You're sixteen, so beautiful, and you're mine'_ I sang softly, since his words had brought the song to my head.

We stared at each other's eyes for a moment, and then I gently shove his arms away, before tapping his arm playfully.

'Okay, too much cheesiness for one day. Now where are you taking me?'

'To the stars' he whispered, his golden eyes piercing me.

I laughed aloud. 'Oh for the love of Agni, are you always this goofy when you're in love?'

He tilted his head for a moment, considering, his eyes glimmering with amusement. 'Yeah, you could say so'

I clung to his arm, shaking my head. 'C'mon, let's go'

We walked around Ba Sing Se, arms around each other's waist, and I felt like I had reached paradise. I had the man I loved, he loved me and we were enjoying ourselves together. Life couldn't get better, could it?

For a moment I wondered what I'd think if I saw myself from outside. I'd probably get all the oogies. But I could forgive myself; I had never felt happier.

Something inside of me wondered if maybe this was just too perfect to last, but I pushed the thought away. It pained me to admit that life wasn't perfect and this bliss would probably end up at some point, but I had to accept it could happen. The best thing I could do was to just enjoy being with Zuko for as long as it lasted.

Then he stopped at a small store, and he bought a pair of bowls of something that I did not recognize. I squinted at it, and then I looked at Zuko suspiciously.

'What's this?' I inquired.

'Just try it'

I picked up a small piece of food with the sticks and took it to my mouth. Zuko was staring at me, nervously expecting my reaction. I tasted it, and I widened my eyes.

'Zuko!'

'What?' he asked anxiously.

'This is the best artic hen I've eaten in my life! It tastes just like Gran Gran's!' Zuko gave me a large satisfied grin. 'How on Earth…?' my voice trailed out, as I savored the amazing spicy flavor of the hen.

'Well' he began evasively, but then he blushed. 'I've searched the entire city for Water Tribe cooks. This is the best place, according to my sources'

'Oh, you're the best boyfriend ever!' I said in delight.

We walked away a few steps and sat down in an alleyway, staring at each other as we enjoyed the meal.

'How come _you_ like it?' I asked him.

'Well, Uncle says you always have to try new things' he smiled.

After finishing the delicious dinner, we walked away, watching the people, the life of the city at night, the lights, and enjoying our mutual company.

We reached a small park that I didn't even know existed, on top of a small hill where a huge tree loomed over the city, and we lay down on the grass, watching the stars.

'Aren't they beautiful?' I whispered, admiring the shining points of light in the sky.

'Yes' was Zuko's response. 'But you're more beautiful'

I chuckled. 'Please. You can't compare me with the stars, and don't even think of comparing me to the moon'

He raised an eyebrow at the serious tone of my voice. 'What's up with the moon?' he asked.

'A princess gave her life to revive the moon so we can be here, staring at it tonight'

He propped up on his elbow, frowning. 'And where does that come from?'

I frowned too. 'It's true. I thought you knew'

'What is it I'm supposed to know?'

'Princess Yue, from the Northern Water Tribe...' I sat up, disbelieving his confused look. 'You don't know?'

He looked aside, and that was all the answer that I needed.

I sighed. 'Yue was the Princess of the Northern Water Tribe. But when Zhao attacked, he murdered the spirit of the moon, and–'

'Oh yes, I remember now! I was there!' he interrupted.

I widened my eyes. 'You were?'

Zuko bit his lower lip. 'Well, I ran away in the middle of a confrontation. But I remember Princess Yue. She was a young girl with white hair, right?'

'I never got to see her. But if you were there you must know the story better than me. I only heard it from Katara's lips'

'In fact I don't know what happened after Zhao killed the moon, because I ran away. But I do remember that the moon returned, just when Zhao was about to kill you'

I shivered, remembering that moment, and decided against telling him that Zhao had done much more to me than try to kill me.

'Well, Katara said that Princess Yue sacrificed her life to revive the Moon Spirit'

We stood in silence for a moment, as we both stared at the moon, and then I grabbed his hand.

'That's why this war has to stop. How many more people will have to die?'

He looked at me, a shade of pain in his golden eyes, and I saw he acknowledged my words. But then he sighed and looked away, his gaze darkening.

'There's nothing we can do from here, anyway' he muttered.

I stood silent for a moment. He was right. We had escaped from the war, and the fate of the Avatar and the world was no longer in our hands. And I'd better not spoil the moment.

I sighed too. 'I guess not. You've done your part by releasing Appa, of which I'm very proud' I said, smiling and tapping his hand.

He turned to me and smiled. 'I don't know about the Moon or the stars, but I do know you look… ravishing tonight'

I laughed. 'I see what you did there. Find another word other than beautiful or the girl gets bored'

Zuko laughed too, and I realized I had never heard him laugh before, not like this, so warmly and openly. I gave him an adoring look.

When he saw the way I was looking at him, he returned a similar look, and he leaned closer to me for a soft kiss.

'What have you done to me?' he asked, shaking his head lightly and chuckling.

'I think the real question is what have _you_ done to _me_' I replied, jabbing his shoulder lightly. 'Now I keep dreaming of you. And it's not like there isn't anything nicer to dream of, is there?'

Zuko lay down on the grass again, sighing.

'I've got just the perfect song for us right now' I said.

He looked at me, his amber eyes shining, reflecting the moonlight. 'Really?'

I began to play, and he sat down to listen to me. I loved to sing just for him.

'_There's no combination of words I could put on the back of a postcard._

_No song that I could sing, but I can try for your heart. _

_Our dreams, and they are made out of real things_

_Like a, shoebox of photographs_

_With sepia-toned loving_

_Love is the answer for most of the questions in my heart._

_Like why are we here? And where do we go?_

_And how come it's so hard?_

_It's not always easy and sometimes life can be deceiving_

_I'll tell you one thing, it's always better when we're together'_

Zuko smiled at me and gave me an adoring look. The moment was so perfect, so intimate, just the two of us, me singing to him under the stars, that I felt complete. I suddenly knew why my heart had always told me that Zuko's destiny and mine were entwined: because _he_ was my destiny. I could almost feel as if the missing piece in my heart fell into the right place, and I knew that I didn't need anything else. Zuko completed me, and I knew I'd remember this night until the day I died.

'_Mmm, it's always better when we're together_

_Yeah, we'll look at the stars when we're together_

_Well, it's always better when we're together_

_Yeah, it's always better when we're together_

_I believe in memories_

_They look so, so pretty when I sleep_

_Hey now, and when I wake up_

_You look so pretty sleeping next to me_

_But there is not enough time_

_And there is no, no song I could sing_

_And there is no combination of words I could say_

_But I will still tell you one thing_

_We're better together'_

As I finished the song, Zuko took the guitar from my hands and leaned over me to kiss me, pushing me down gently, him on top of me, and the kiss was long and passionate, as we relished in each other's particular scent and taste.

'Mmm' I purred. 'Why do you smell so good?'

Zuko broke the kiss to stare at me. 'What?'

'That smell of smoke… it just… drives me crazy. It was the first thing I loved about you'

He frowned lightly. 'I smell like smoke?'

'Yeah' And I pulled from his shirt to sink my nose on his neck, and I sighed. 'Yes'

He chuckled. 'You are definitely crazy, you know that?'

'Crazy for you, honey' I replied in a fake phony voice, and we kissed again as the moon shone brightly over us, almost as if she gave us her blessing.

* * *

A few more days went by, and Zuko's sudden happiness never ceased to amaze me. He seemed to enjoy every moment, and his cheerful spirit was contagious. We spent the nights cuddling together, kissing and hugging. I simply couldn't believe life could get any better.

Iroh was also happier than ever, and the shop attracted more customers each day. I was so proud of both of them, and seeing Iroh happy made me feel even better, if that was possible. He deserved happiness more than anyone, and I found it ironic that he should find completion on the very same place where he had lost his son. But as he liked to say, destiny is a funny thing.

One evening, we were cleaning up after closing the shop, when a man clad in green came in.

'I'm sorry, we're closed for the day' I told him, but he stretched out his hand, carrying a sealed scroll.

'A message from the royal palace' he said promptly, and as I grabbed the paper he disappeared through the door.

I rushed forward to Iroh, who was walking to me, intrigued. 'It's for you, Iroh'

He frowned with concern as he read the paper. Then his eyes widened with astonishment.

'I… I can't believe it' he mused, shocked.

Zuko approached us, frowning. 'What is it, Uncle?'

Iroh raised his eyes from the paper, as a huge grin spread over his face. 'Great news! We've been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!'

Zuko grinned as I took the paper from Iroh's hands. 'Is that so?' I asked, elated. I scanned the paper, and then handed it to Zuko to give Iroh a loving hug before he ran off excitedly towards the rear of the shop.

'It seems we'll get to meet the King' Zuko said.

My smile faded a little as we both resumed our sweeping. Yes, it was great news, but it was a dangerous thing. Zuko was still the banished Prince from the Fire Nation, and we were all wanted fugitives. The Earth Kingdom didn't like us either, and it was highly likely we'd get to serve tea to some Royal Council or something, and I doubted that not a single one of them knew about us.

If those generals, or the King himself, had fought in the war, they'd know about the missing Fire Nation Prince and his uncle, and as soon as they studied Zuko's scar, they would make the connection.

I realized that neither Zuko nor Iroh had that in mind, and therefore I'd have to be the one watching our backs, because I didn't want to spoil the moment for any of them.

Later that night, back at home, when Iroh's snoring could be heard from our bedroom, Zuko sat beside me on my bed, as I undid my ponytail and ran my fingers through my hair.

'Isn't it great, what we're living? I'm so happy for Uncle. He's so excited about tomorrow' he said in a cheerful whisper.

I smiled. 'I know' Then I looked at him. 'You're excited as well, aren't you?'

'A little' he admitted, picking up a strand of my hair and tugging it behind my ear with the softness of silk. I let my eyes get filled with the sight of him. His bare chest, his strong arms, his jaw, his shaggy black hair and his best feature, those passionate golden eyes that stirred so many feelings inside of me.

'Did I tell you I love you today?' I whispered.

He chuckled. 'You're so beautiful when you're in love'

Then we leaned in for a kiss, that began softly, but as we allowed out mutual feelings to surge, the kiss became more passionate. I flung my arms around his neck and he wrapped his around my waist. Then he leaned over me and we fell on my bed, him on top of me.

Suddenly the warm point inside my stomach that I used to heat water began to boil, as my heart began to pump faster, and Zuko's scent of smoke filled my nose. His body then pressed against mine, and I suddenly felt like I was no longer in control of my body or my emotions, as instinct took over. His lips pressed against mine, begging for entrance, and when I allowed him in he moaned in my mouth as our tongues entangled together. We continued kissing as he unbuttoned my blouse, and his hands moved over my flat stomach and around my waist, his fingertips setting fire to my skin where he touched. My hands, in the meantime, slipped beneath his shirt and moved over his strong back. We broke the kiss just a moment so that he could get rid of his shirt, tossing it aside, and then we locked eyes. I saw a raw passion in his golden eyes like I'd never seen before, except for that night when he had pinned me against the wall. It was a hungry look, as if he wanted to eat me alive. I felt something tugging deep inside of me, and my legs wrapped around his hips. He closed his eyes for a second and made a funny noise that could have been a purr, as his hips pressed against mine. I let my eyes run over the strong muscles of his shoulders and torso, and his bare chest, and then we locked lips again passionately. I felt his right hand run down the outside of my thigh as I fisted my hands in his hair, and a low grunt came out of his throat, as his lips left my mouth to follow the curve of my neck. I sighed loudly, and one of his hands slowly slid up to my breast. For a moment I had a terrifying flashback of Zhao trying to rape me on my mind, and I flinched, but his kiss became more insistent and soft, and his hand was warm and gentle, nothing like Zhao, and he quickly made me forget everything else. He brushed my nipple gently over my wrappings, and I moaned inside his mouth. Zuko was mine, and he was so beautiful and handsome, and I wanted all of him, all to myself. And my body was now aching for him. His hips jerked against mine and I gasped, feeling dampness between my legs. At the same time, I felt _him_ against me, hard flesh in need of me. Then his left hand slid down all over my abdomen and between my legs. I arched my back, whimpering, and his lips sucked the skin of my throat as his left hand cupped me over my underwear, his other arm around my waist, holding me close to him. The heat on my body was almost unbearable now, and I wanted him, I needed him to touch me and _have_ me. My hips jerked against him, and a loud moan escaped my unwilling lips.

'Kira, be quiet!' Zuko hissed against my skin. And then I realized I was about to completely lose all control and dignity and beg him to have me, to make me his, to make love to me, and I remembered that long ago I had made a promise to myself, to never lose control again. It was about not having any more manic attacks, but I suddenly knew I'd regret it in the morning if I let him take full control of me now.

Then I jolted back, suddenly frightened, and moved away from him, my back against the wall, and my knees up, hiding my chest. I looked at Zuko, who drew back, surprised. We stared at each other for a minute, and then he sighed, seeing my sudden fear, and he sat up, on the edge of the bed, as he looked down to his knees, running his hands through his hair for a moment.

'What are we doing, Zuko?' I asked, looking down and running a hand through my now disheveled hair too.

He turned to look at me, and said nothing. Then he leaned over me slowly, and our lips met again, but this time it was a soft, gentle kiss. I cupped my hand around his cheek, and his golden eyes pierced mine. I loved him with all my heart and soul, and I wanted him, and I wanted him to make me his, but just… not yet.

He turned his face to the side to kiss the tips of my fingers. 'If you're not ready yet, I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes' he whispered.

'Thanks' I whispered back, feeling guilty.

Then we shifted to lay together on the bed, Zuko face up with his arm around me, and I lay on my side, my head resting on his shoulder, and my left arm crossed over his bare chest.

He turned his head to kiss my forehead, and I closed my eyes, inhaling his scent, stronger now after the "activity". His hand ran through my hair, and we fell asleep.


	23. Choice

**Chapter 23: Choice**

The next morning we were standing in front of the entrance of the palace, admiring the huge structure. We started walking towards it, as Iroh sighed.

'Many times, I imagined myself here, at the threshold of the palace. But I always thought I would be here as a conqueror… Instead, we are the Earth King's personal guests, to serve him tea. Destiny is a funny thing'

'It sure is, Uncle' Zuko agreed, smiling.

I said nothing, as I eyed the grounds around us, scanning for possible enemies. I knew the Dai Li were not to be played upon, and I realized with a shiver that if things went wrong, it would be quite difficult to get out of there. I took my hand to my back, making sure the daggers and the waterbag were in place.

We walked to a large, decorated house on the palace grounds, surrounded by shrubbery, and entered the main hall. There was a tiny table at the end of it, in front of a small throne set on a raised platform.

Iroh prepared the tea as we sat down and waited. I kept looking around, nervous, telling myself it would go alright. The silence was total, and when Iroh poured a cup of tea, the sound reverberated all over the hall, making me wince. Luckily I was behind Zuko and Iroh, and they didn't see my anxious expression.

After some long minutes, Zuko began to get impatient. 'What's taking so long?'

'Maybe the Earth King overslept' Iroh guessed vaguely.

But then a long line of Dai Li agents entered the room from the right and surrounded us, their faces stone blank.

'Something's not right' I whispered.

And then a figure clad in red entered from the right. I gasped when I saw the girl's black hair, and flinched involuntarily when her cold mocking voice reached us.

'It's tea time.' Azula said.

'Azula!' Zuko gasped as we both sprung to our feet.

'Have you met the Dai Li?' Azula asked in a dangerously silky voice. 'They're Earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that is so Firebender, I love it!'

I placed a hand on my waterbag, warming it instantly, and readying myself to fight the moment they decided to strike. Iroh gently picked up the cup he had poured.

'Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname 'the Dragon of the West'?'

Azula examined her nails, her tone bored. 'I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle'

'It's more of a demonstration really' Iroh replied pleasantly. He took a sip from his tea, and Zuko moved slightly, ducking behind Iroh and dragging me along as the old General opened his mouth and released a powerful torrent of fire at the Dai Li, who raised their gloved hands to shield themselves.

Zuko grabbed my hand and we ran towards the wall of the dark hall, and he kicked a blast of fire that burst open a hole in the wall. As I waited for Iroh to catch up, I turned around and whipped some boiling water at the Dai Li, keeping them at bay.

Then as Iroh jumped through the hole, I jumped behind him, and heard stone projectiles hitting the wall at the place where I was half a second ago.

We raced around a corner, Zuko at the lead and I at the rear, and one of the stone projectiles gashed the back of my leg. I cursed loudly as I fell on one knee. I saw Zuko stop and return to help me as the Dai Li turned around the corner. Then I raised a wall of ice between us and them, and jumped to my feet, pushing Zuko forward to make him keep running.

When we reached the end of the hallway, we saw it was a dead end. But Iroh summoned lightning and broke through the wall, just as my ice wall behind us crashed down, destroyed by another lightning, this one coming from Azula.

Iroh jumped out and fell on a bush at the lawn below, moaning, and I jumped immediately after him. I panicked when I looked up and Zuko stared at us from the hole above, his face falling into his old determined and angry gesture.

'Come on!' Iroh called. 'You'll be fine!'

'No' the Prince replied. 'I'm tired of running. It's time I face Azula!'

'Zuko, no!' I yelled, getting to my feet, but he disappeared.

'You're so dramatic' Azula's voice said up there. 'What are you going to do, challenge me to an Agni Kai?'

'Yes!' my stubborn Zuko snapped. 'I challenge you!'

'No thanks' Azula replied mockingly.

I wanted to hover back up there and stand in front of the man I loved, but with a howl of frustration I realized Zuko was lost, and if I wanted to rescue him later I'd have to get out of there, now. Iroh had already disappeared, and I guessed if the old General had run away, it meant that we hardly stood a chance.

With my eyes welling up with tears at having to abandon my boyfriend there, I ran away.

I rammed into Iroh not far away, in the palace grounds, my face blurry with tears. 'Why did he have to do that, Iroh?' I complained.

Iroh looked at me gravely. 'There is only one person that can save Zuko now'. I looked at him and I understood he meant the only person with enough power to face Azula: Aang.

'But how are we gonna find him?' I asked, referring to Zuko.

'I have an idea' Iroh said with a smirk.

We sneaked around the house, and as we walked along a fountain, I refilled my waterbag, which was nearly empty. Then we hid behind some bushes, near the entrance. Soon a long line of Dai Li agents marched out of the house, carrying a red palanquin, and a carriage that resembled the one they had used when they captured Jet. We observed them carefully, and then Iroh's hand closed around my arm.

'That one!' he said, pointing to one of the Dai Li that was not following the same pace as the others, and whose face was contorted in a mask of fear.

Fortunately, the man was close to the end of the line, after the palanquin and the carriage, where I knew they were carrying Zuko. I bit my lip, wishing with all my soul that I could go to his rescue right there and then, but I knew it was pointless: Azula would have him well guarded, and she'd probably be expecting an attempt of rescue from my part.

We waited until the last man was outside the gates, and then I sprung up and raced towards the Dai Li before the gates were shut. I knocked the last three rows of men to the ground with a splash of water, and whipped water at the waist of the man we had chosen, quickly running away while carrying the man in the air with my water whips. I turned around a corner and saw Iroh waving at me from an alleyway a little ahead, and shaking a rope.

I dropped the Dai Li agent in his hands and kept running, followed by more Dai Li agents.

I raced around the streets quickly, turning around almost every corner, trying to lose them, but the pursuit never ended. So I opened a door and sneaked inside a house, which was fortunately empty. I quickly got rid of my green waitress robes and stole a blouse and some black pants from the people living there, as I heard the Dai Li run past the house, on the street. I had been right to be afraid, after all. After the Dai Li's quick steps were out of my hearing range, I sneaked out and ran the other way.

Later, I reunited with Iroh, who was carrying the tied up Dai Li agent. The man was wearing a more relaxed expression.

'We've had a talk' Iroh said, eyeing the man. 'He'll cooperate. He'll take us to the Avatar'

I nodded quickly and we left for the upper ring.

* * *

About two hours later, we knocked on the door of a fancy house on the upper ring.

The little blind girl opened the door. 'Glad to see you're okay' she said, and I guessed she meant Iroh, because she didn't know me.

'I need your help' Iroh said.

Aang and Sokka were behind her, and they jumped back in panic at seeing Iroh.

'You guys know each other!' Aang said.

'I met him in the woods once and knocked him down. Then he gave me tea and very good advice' the little girl explained.

'May we come in?' Iroh asked.

The girl's smile faded. '_We_?'

Then I ducked out from behind him and I waved my hand, grinning apologetically.

'Kira!' Sokka said in disbelief.

I rushed forward to hug my long-lost brother. I flung my arms around his neck, and with surprise I realized he was taller and stronger than at the South Pole. His arms wrapped around me a second later, slowly and awkwardly.

'You've got to help us, guys' I muttered, breaking the hug. 'Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se'

'She must have Katara' Aang told Sokka.

I widened my eyes in disbelief. 'Katara has been captured?'

But Iroh interceded before any of them could answer. 'Azula has captured my nephew as well.'

Aang closed his fist determinedly. 'Then we'll work together to fight Azula, and save Katara and Zuko.'

'Whoa there' Sokka said, stepping back and raising his hands. 'You lost me at 'Zuko''

'I know how you feel about him' I said, placing one hand on Sokka's arm, pleading with my eyes. 'He's done a lot to you guys, but there's good inside of him, you must believe me!'

'Good inside of him isn't enough' Sokka replied. 'Why don't you come back when it's outside him too, okay?'

But Aang fixed his gray eyes on Sokka, with a determined expression. 'Katara is in trouble. All of Ba Sing Se is in trouble. Working together is our best chance'

I gave Aang a thankful look. The young Avatar had not stopped to ask us why we were here, or why I had pushed them away at the desert. He realized immediately that cooperating was the only way of saving both prisoners and he accepted our help without hesitation.

But my brother was not so open-minded. I bit my lip, watching Sokka consider. Then he closed his eyes and nodded grudgingly, earning smiles from both Aang and me.

'Thank you, brother' I said, relieved.

'Don't. You still owe me an explanation' Sokka warned with an accusatory finger, and I looked down, dejectedly. He was right, I had promised to explain to them why I had chosen Zuko over them, but fortunately he understood now was not the moment either and he didn't push it.

'We brought someone along who might be able to help us' Iroh chimed in.

We walked out the porch and towards the Dai Li agent tied up there. Iroh pulled down the cloth from his face.

'Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup' the man blurted out. 'They're going to overthrow the Earth King'

Iroh and I exchanged glances, as Sokka fiercely pointed his boomerang at the man's terrified face. 'My sister! Where are they keeping Katara?'

'In the crystal catacombs of old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace' the man quickly answered.

We immediately departed for the palace, not wasting one more second.

* * *

When we arrived at the palace, the little blind girl, whom I had learned was named Toph, placed a hand on the ground. Aang had explained to me that she was a skilled Earthbender, and that she could 'see' through the vibrations on the earth.

'Well whaddya know' she whistled in surprise. 'There _is_ an ancient city down there, but it's deep'

Then she waved her fists outwards, earthbending a small crater in the ground.

'Okay, I think we should –' I began, but Sokka had begun talking at the same time.

'We should split up'

We exchanged glances, surprised at each other's leadership. Though in Sokka's case it wasn't so strange, because he was the eldest in the group. I, on the other hand, was the youngest in our group, but for that same reason the most active. When we wandered over the Earth Kingdom, Zuko used to take the lead, but in his absence I was normally the one to take action, and Iroh the one to think. But this time I nodded curtly, letting Sokka take the lead.

'Aang, you go with Iroh and Kira to look for Katara and the angry jerk… no offense' he added, raising his hands at me. I laughed, and Iroh replied gently before I could say anything.

'None taken.'

'And I'll go with Toph to warn the Earth King about Azula's coup.'

We all nodded and Aang earthbended a tunnel in the ground. Iroh and I followed him.

After some walking, the silence had grown uncomfortable. I was quite fond of Aang, but I was deeply concerned about Zuko and Katara and I did not feel like chitchatting.

'So, Toph thinks you give pretty good advice. And great tea' Aang told Iroh, clearly trying to break the ice.

'They key to both is proper aging' Iroh replied pleasantly, before eyeing the young Avatar. 'What's on your mind?'

Aang deepened the tunnel before answering. 'Well, I met with this Guru who was supposed to help me master the Avatar state, and control this great power. But to do it, I had to let go of someone I love, and I just couldn't'

I bit my lip. I understood Aang's concern perfectly. In fact, I still felt guilty after leaving Zuko to face Azula alone, even though it was impossible for me to do anything. I was confused for a second at the term 'Avatar state', but then I remembered the two occasions when I had seen him display an incredible power, when his eyes went white and his tattoos glowered. I figured that was the Avatar state, and it surprised me a little to know he couldn't really control it.

'Perfection and power are overrated' Iroh replied wisely. 'I think you were wise to choose happiness and love'

But Aang frowned, not satisfied. 'What happens if we can't save everyone and beat Azula? Without the Avatar state, what if I'm not powerful enough?'

Iroh looked down thoughtfully. 'I don't know the answer. Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving…'

Then Aang earthbended one last piece of tunnel and we saw a crystal catacomb ahead.

'You will come to a better place' Iroh finished.

Soon enough, we reached a wall, and Aang earthbended through. When the dust settled, we saw Katara touching Zuko's face, and I felt an unexpected pang of jealousy at my sister. But she turned around at the noise and she rushed towards her friend, wrapping her arms around him.

'Aang!'

I did the same with my boyfriend. 'Zuko!' I ran to him and threw myself in his arms, as he wrapped his arms around me clumsily. I would have kissed him, but for some reason I felt it would have been awkward to kiss him in front of Aang and Katara, and I settled with a loving hug.

I broke the hug and saw he was glaring at Aang, who was glaring at him at the same time.

Katara hugged Aang again. 'Aang, I knew you would come'

Zuko glared at Iroh and then at me, looking upset. 'What are you doing with the Avatar?' he said, pointing an accusing finger at the young boy.

I frowned, but Aang snapped back a retort before I could. 'Saving you, that's what'

Zuko snarled, but I placed my hands on his chest.

'We need to talk.'

Iroh turned to Aang and Katara. 'Go help your other friends. We'll catch up with you'

Katara gave me a puzzled look, noticing my presence for the first time, but Aang bowed respectfully to Iroh and he dragged Katara away as they disappeared on the tunnels.

Zuko looked at me, and I winced when I saw his hurt expression. 'Why?' he whispered.

'You are not the boy you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been' I said, staring into his golden eyes.

'And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good!' Iroh insisted behind me.

Zuko shut his eyes, absorbing our words. I leaned closer to him, our faces inches away.

'Zuko. I know you. I know you're better than this. You're a true Prince, _my_ prince. I can see the confusion in your eyes, but please, listen to your heart. I know it will lead you to the right path!' I begged him, internally praying to the Spirits for all of us.

But then a violent quake shook the entire room, and I adopted my stance, in front of Zuko. I saw a trail of crystals shooting out of the ground towards me, but I jumped out of the way. Nevertheless, a piece of crystal hit my head, and I fell roughly to the ground, whimpering.

I took a hand to my head and when I looked at my fingers I saw blood. I got to my feet, feeling slightly dizzy, but my mind cleared up as soon as I heard Azula's voice.

'I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko… Prince Zuko… you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?'

I noticed then that I had fallen behind a pillar and out of sight. I thanked the spirits fervently, and I leaned out just a little to spy on the scene.

Iroh was trapped in crystals, and Zuko was standing between him and Azula, who was escorted by two Dai Li agents.

Zuko clenched his fists. 'Release him immediately!'

'It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself' Azula whispered, and I gritted my teeth at the silkiness in her voice. I wanted to smack my fist in her mouth, but for Aang's sake I had to warn him that Azula was in pursuit.

The scene hypnotized me, though I knew that Zuko would choose the right thing. He was my prince after all, he had changed… hadn't he?

'The kind of redemption she offers is not for you' Iroh said harshly.

'Why don't you let him decide, Uncle?' Azula said. 'I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day. This glorious day in Fire Nation history. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have your father's love. You will have everything you want'

I had to press my hand against my mouth to prevent myself from shouting aloud. But I knew Zuko. I knew he had changed. I was sure he'd make the right thing, so I sneaked out of the small prison and ran down the tunnel that Aang and Katara had taken a few seconds ago, with a pang of pain in my chest at having to leave Iroh behind. I bit my lip so hard that I felt the taste of blood in my mouth; it was the second time in one day that I was abandoning someone I loved. I could only hope he'd forgive me.

I finally reached the big open space where the waterfall was, and I saw Katara and Aang reaching it, two little figures ahead.

'Aang! Katara!' I shouted. 'Azula's–'

But then I heard the rushing sound of fire and my reflexes reacted quickly, and I turned around and raised a wall of water in front of me, and Azula's blue fire turned it to steam.

'Aang! RUN!' I yelled, as I backed down slowly, drawing water from the channel at the side and splashing it towards Azula. But she avoided it quickly and in rapid succession she kicked three balls of fire: one aimed at me, and I guessed the next two at Katara and Aang.

'Kira!' I heard Aang shouting my name, as I raised an ice shield to protect myself. Azula kicked through, though. I heard quick footsteps coming my way, and I knew Katara and Aang were coming to help me.

'Stay away! She is mine.' I growled, and summoned that energy that allowed me to warm the water, and I drew an immense amount of water from the channels and started to spin it around me, creating a tornado of water, as I used all my love for Zuko and my hatred of Azula to power up my energy and heat the water. When the water was steaming hot, I divided it in two, and saw the Princess smiling smugly in front of me. I then drew some of the hot water towards me, adopting my octopus stance, and the rest of it I split it in different spheres of water, that I splashed on Azula one after another.

The Princess frowned for the first time, concentrating hard in dodging all my attacks. But in one moment one of my water whips grabbed her arm, and she shrieked as she jumped back.

'It's burning hot!'

I gave her a smug smile before I charged to her, my face contorting in rage now. The Princess awaited me with a grin, and I snarled loudly as I poured all my energy into the attack.

But I failed to see she was creating lightning until I was too close. She pointed her fingers at my chest, and I skidded, uselessly trying to stop.

Then a blast of fire came from my left and my quick reflexes raised a wall of water, but the force of the combined attacks sent me flying away, just in time to avoid Azula's lightning.

I fell rolling on the ground, and when I stood up, I saw Zuko adopting his stance, now standing between Azula and Aang and Katara. I rushed forward, trying to attack Azula from her right, but then I froze dead on the spot when Zuko aimed a fireball at Aang.

'Noooo!' I screamed, and then I created a thin layer of ice and I slid over it all the way to Zuko, landing between Zuko and Aang.

'What are you doing?' I shrieked at Zuko.

'You know me. You know this is my destiny!' he yelled back, still on his stance.

'No' I replied sadly, after a pause. 'I thought I knew you, but I was wrong'

'Come with me! I'll protect you! We can be together at the palace and I'll show you the city!' he said, his eyes glimmering with hope.

My eyes filled with tears. 'Do you honestly think I'm so shallow? I told you from the start the Avatar's freedom is the most important thing and that I'll give my life for it if necessary!'

His gaze darkened. 'So you're siding with them?' and then his voice dropped a few inches. 'You're betraying me?'

'No, Zuko!' I yelled back, the tears rolling down my cheeks now. 'You're betraying Iroh and me, and what is worse, you're betraying yourself!'

I quickly wiped my face before adding, my voice cold and my heart clenching with pain as I adopted my stance: 'This is your last chance. Repent, Zuko, abandon that spoiled stubborn Prince you once were and become the man I fell in love with!'

But his eyes adopted a fiery cold expression, and I knew he wasn't going to change his mind.

'Too much talking, Zuko! Finish her up!' Azula yelled from behind him, as she battled both Aang and Katara.

'You made your choice, now I make mine' he growled, as he prepared to fight.

I stared at the eyes of the man I loved, and with a wince I realized he was now my enemy. I could almost hear my heart cracking. I summoned boiling water and splashed it at him.

Zuko widened his eyes at seeing me attacking him, and he jumped back, avoiding my water.

His eyes then filled with anger and hurt at what he considered a betrayal from me.

'You're leaving me no choice!' I yelled, my face wet with tears, and I could almost feel time slowing down, and my heart shattering in a million pieces, when I realized this was a break-up. Something broke between Zuko and I, because when we reached the crossroads of our destinies, we chose different paths. As I stared into the golden eyes of my boyfriend, I saw a veil of anger and resentment wash away the affection, and we both knew it was over. We were over.

And then I began to attack in earnest. But we had sparred often, and he knew my moves as well as I knew his, and we were evenly matched.

I glanced at the second battle, and I noticed they were matched either. Azula was too good, and she dodged the attacks of both benders, as she attacked herself. Suddenly Aang brought a stalactite down from the ceiling, and when it crashed against the ground, it blew Zuko and me away.

Then I ran in aid of Katara, as she was shielding herself from constant attacks from Azula. I drew water and threw sharp shards of ice at the surprised Princess, but Zuko pushed her out of the way and they both skidded away.

Katara and I exchanged glances and nodded quickly, as we launched a coordinated attack against the siblings. We drew water in symmetric moves and lunged forward, trying to encase them in a ball of ice, but the Princess and the Prince also coordinated their defense and our water whips fell down.

Then they split up and surrounded us, this time Azula staring at me and Zuko aiming at Katara. I boiled some water and whipped it at the Princess, up and down, making her dance in agile moves as she dodged, but at the same time she kept kicking tongues of flame towards me, and I had to freeze some of the water to block her blows with ice.

I glanced at my right and saw Aang coming out of the crater where the stalactite had hit the ground, still dizzy after his crash. Azula eyed him too, and in a superhuman effort, she kicked two powerful arcs of fire, one at Aang and one at me. I tried to block it with water and ice, but the force of the attack sent me flying in the air, and I crashed against a pillar.

I shook my head, feeling dizzy, and looked up as Aang covered his whole body with crystal and rushed to Azula, but she collected her fire energy and released it in a huge explosion that blew Aang away. Then I jumped to my feet and ran towards her, again standing in her way, but panting, quite tired from the enormous effort of boiling up water and fighting both siblings.

Then I heard a low whimper and I saw that Katara had been sent flying against the wall, knocked unconscious, and I readied myself to fight both Azula and Zuko. I summoned a tidal wave of boiling water again, throwing it at them by parts, and forcing them to dodge, but each blow they avoided led them closer to me, and suddenly Azula had a clear shot at me, and she kicked fire on my defenseless side. I had to drop all attacks and cover myself with an ice wall. I directed my energy to holding the piece of the ice wall in front of me, but the rest of the wall was burnt apart by Zuko and Azula's combined fire.

I yelped in frustration, and then suddenly I threw myself on my back on the ground and allowed the upper part of the ice wall to be blown apart, as I watched the stream of fire inches from my nose, until it died out.

'Kira!' I heard Aang calling my name, clearly concerned, and I rolled out of the way. When I looked up I saw him riding a rolling mound of rock towards the Fire Nation siblings, who readied themselves.

Then I saw a Dai Li agent jumping in front of him. 'Aang!' I yelled, trying to warn him, but he was sent skidding on the floor. Then I saw a pair of stone gloves coming my way and I quickly pulled out my daggers, slashing the stone gloves apart. I glanced sideways at Katara, who had now woken up and was battling about eight or ten Dai Li at once. I looked ahead and saw a similar amount coming towards me, and I sheathed my daggers. Clearly my swordsmanship wasn't going to get me out of this situation. I drew water from the channel and adopted the octopus stance to whip out several men at the same time.

With despair I saw Azula and Zuko directing their attention to Aang, and as I glanced at my right, I saw him become a ball of crystal. I frowned. What was he doing?

As I desperately fought the Dai Li, suddenly a flash of light illuminated the entire cave, as Aang floated up from his crystal ball, his tattoos shining blue, his eyes white.

But then I saw Azula getting ready to shoot lightning, and all my water fell as I rushed towards Aang, slipping through the momentarily distracted Dai Li.

'NOOOOO!'

Then two strong arms wrapped around my waist, and I was hurled off the ground, screaming.

Aang writhed in pain as the lightning hit him on his back, and then he plummeted to the ground below. I screamed with all my lungs, as I twitched and struggled to go after him, but the strong arms didn't release me.

'Trust me, it's better this way' Zuko's voice said in my ear.

Then I exploded. With a howl I kicked him between his legs, and then I turned around and pulling out my daggers once again, I slashed at him. He quickly dodged, but my dagger drew a line of blood in his arm, and he stepped back, surprised at my ferocity.

I turned around and I sheathed the daggers as I ran towards Katara, who was now holding Aang's burnt out body. Something cold gripped my chest, and I sped up. No, no, no, no. He couldn't be…

Then Katara looked up at me, and I saw her eyes brimming with tears, as she looked behind me with a hopeless expression. I skidded to a stop and spun around. Zuko, Azula, and the Dai Li were closing in on us, and I drew a deep breath, as I remembered that day when Zuko had captured me, when I had decided I'd surrender my life for the Avatar if I had to. This may be the day, and I winced at thinking that I may have to die at the hands of the man I loved.

As I noticed I was the only thing standing between Aang and all of them, I felt a surge of strength coming out of sheer despair. I adopted my stance, willing to take it to the end, but then a fire blast hit the ground between me and all the rest.

Iroh landed beside me.

'You've got to get out of here! I'll hold them off as long as I can!'

I shot him a thankful look, and turned back to Katara. 'Get Aang out of here!' and then I stammered backwards when Iroh pulled me roughly behind him, before stopping one fireblast from Azula.

'Kira, you too!'

My eyes filled with tears.

'No! I will not leave you!'

'You must go!' he growled, as he punched left and right.

I looked behind me, and saw Katara riding up the waterfall in a monstrous wave, carrying an unconscious Aang. Then I looked at Iroh, who was frowning in concentration. My indecision grew to unbearable levels, until I heard a long desperate wail, and I realized it was coming out of my lips.

My eyes fell on Zuko, and I shot him a burning look, filled with and rage and hurt… and disappointment. 'I will never forgive you!'

'Kira, GO!' Iroh shouted again, as he released torrents of fire over the now retreating Dai Li. I stepped back into the waterfall, not getting my eyes off Zuko, whose eyes were burning with doubt now, and then I looked up, at the sky far away. I formed a current upwards like I had seen Katara do and spiraled up the waterfall, but before disappearing through the roof, I used the last bit of energy I had left to throw a tidal wave of water over Azula, Zuko and the Dai Li, hoping that would give Iroh some time.

Once out, I felt my energy completely run out and I collapsed on my knees, and before blacking out I felt a pair of strong arms catching me before my face hit the ground.

* * *

When I came back to my senses, I realized I was lying on someone's arms. I blinked feebly and distinguished Sokka's determinate face.

I sat up, gently squirming away from him, and he placed a hand on my arm, but he said nothing. Then I noticed we were on Appa, flying out of Ba Sing Se, Toph and a man clad in green fancy robes at my side, whose pompous hat helped me guess he was the Earth King.

But everyone was staring at something happening on Appa's head. I followed their gaze and I saw Katara gently lifting Aang and applying water to an angry burn he had on his back. There was a flash of blue light, but then nothing more happened. Katara hugged Aang with tears in her face, and I feared the worst, but then his arrow glowed shortly, and she lay him down again, studying his face. Then Aang opened his eyes and smiled weakly, and Katara's face illuminated with hope and joy at seeing him alive, and she hugged him again.

I heard Sokka sigh with relief, and the Earth King spoke sadly. 'The Earth Kingdom… has fallen'

* * *

_**End of Book II**_

* * *

_**A/N: Okay, so we've reached the end of what I have so far. However, I've been working on something and I may or may not have a few chapters ready for you in a couple days. Tune in on Sunday and we'll see what destiny brings :)**_

_**Now that you know how the story will continue, there's something I need to decide and I guessed you guys could help me. You know how Toph has a nickname for everyone, right? Well, based on what you know about Kira so far, can you give me some ideas on nicknames for her? In the end it will be my call, but I'm sort of lost at it, and ideas are VERY WELCOME.**_

_**Thank you again for bearing up with me and I love you all. **_

_**R&R!**_


	24. Book III: Fire - Internal Scars, Part I

_**Book III: Fire**_

**Chapter 24: Internal Scars, Part I**

'Won't do no good, y' know'

Toph's small voice snapped me from my reverie. I looked up at her. I had taken the first watch on tonight's flight, and I hadn't woken Katara up when I was due. I simply wanted to be alone with Appa, the rest of the gang asleep. The way they looked at me was beginning to threaten what was left of my sanity. They were my family, and I could read their thoughts and feelings on their faces.

Katara was worried about me. It was to be expected, since I hadn't uttered a single word since we had left Ba Sing Se. They had questioned me, but I had refused to talk. It had been really uncomfortable, because both Sokka and Katara had tried everything. First they asked for an explanation about what had happened to me all these months. When they failed to get an answer, they tried demanding it from me, and Sokka had given me a hard time, yelling at me and shaking me roughly. Then Katara had tried her softer side, talking to me gently, trying to get a word out of me. But I couldn't talk. I simply couldn't bring myself to say anything.

How could I begin to explain everything that had happened and how I felt? How could I explain that Zuko was the love of my life and he had turned his back on me? How could I explain that having Aang unconscious and comatose was mostly my fault for making them help me save Zuko? And how could I explain the horrible pain inside, that guilt that numbed me when I thought I had abandoned Iroh to Azula's cruel hands?

There were no words that could make them understand me, so I had opted for silence. I didn't care. They could do what they wanted with me. My existence was pointless. The Avatar was barely alive and Katara did not know if he would survive, and I had lost everything.

I was actually, quite aware that I was shutting myself down and that that would do more harm than good. But I just could not find the will to talk. I wanted to die, to run away, to escape from my misery somehow. And silence had become my best friend.

And now the small blind girl was talking to me for the first time since leaving Ba Sing Se. I looked at her, questioningly.

'Are you going to stay up all night?' Toph asked.

I shrugged.

'You'll be tired in the morning'

I did not really care, so I didn't look at her, and I stared at the horizon over Appa's head instead.

'Your problem' Toph said, and then I heard the sound of her covers rustling as she prepared her bed. Soon enough the only sounds over the huge bison were the steady breathing of four kids, and mine. We had dropped the Earth King with Bosco a few days ago, and he had decided to wander over the Earth Kingdom as a refugee, trying to learn more about his people. I thought it was a good decision for a ruler. If only it could have helped Zuko!

I shook my head. Thinking about Zuko would only bring back my misery. A part of me kept trying to lift my spirits, just like Katara and Sokka had tried. Sometimes the little voice in my head tried to encourage me, but most days it simply used my guilt, telling me that I was being an immature brat and that my family needed my help.

I was quite aware of the fact that I could not stay silent forever. And I could not live in depression forever. There was a war going on and I was nothing but a speck of dust in it, but my duty was to play my part somehow. So I was taking these days flying on Appa as a holiday into hell. I allowed myself to shut down and curl in a ball for most of the day unless Katara, Sokka or Toph asked for something, like preparing the food or tea. I did what they asked, but in complete silence.

And in the meantime, my mind just kept fussing over the last day I spent in Ba Sing Se, over and over again, remembering every detail, fixed forever in my memory. Zuko's eyes when I had attacked him, reversing what Iroh loved to say about Waterbending: "They never strike first, they turn their defense into offense". But my water boiling technique was different, and it allowed me to attempt a completely different style of waterbending, more offensive. And Zuko had widened his eyes in rage and hurt, feeling betrayed by his girlfriend.

_You fool!_ I thought with a wince. He had betrayed us all, himself included. He had had the chance to make things right, to confront his sister, to make up a destiny of his own, to take action and make a life for himself. It was all Iroh wanted for him. I wanted him to protect Aang, because I had to protect Aang and I didn't want to battle my boyfriend. But I would have understood, if he had chosen to side up with Azula for himself.

But I knew Zuko, and I knew that metamorphosis of his was not total. He had changed, yes, but as soon as Azula meddled in our lives again, I knew that his old feelings and thoughts had crept inside of him like parasites, infecting him. He should have known Azula would trick him. He should have known she had never cared for him. I had known that from the single day that I had seen her, back at that bathhouse near the North Pole. I just had to look into her eyes while she battled Zuko to know she would never care for her older brother. Why did Zuko fail to see this? Him, after all she had done to him throughout his life.

He had betrayed all of us, but worse, he had betrayed himself.

Of course, I knew what must have propelled him to do such a thing. Azula knew it too, she had manipulated him. "You'll have your father's love", she had said. That was everything Zuko had ever wanted, and to tease him with that was just plain sick and cruel and evil.

And I should have been there for him. I should have held his hand and fought for him, to show him the truth behind his sister's lies. But I ran away. I left him. And he fell right into her trap.

I regretted virtually everything I'd done that day. From jumping through the window before Zuko, to ask for the Avatar's assistance and then get him almost murdered at the end, to leave Zuko to ponder Azula's words at the catacombs, to abandon Iroh when he needed me the most. I had made all the wrong choices. The little voice inside of me tried to comfort me by saying that there was hardly anything I could have done differently, but it never made me feel better anyway, so the tears kept stinging my eyes every night.

And now they were flowing free, unseen by any of the members of my family, as I stared at the stars and the moon. I cried for Aang, for Iroh, for Katara and Sokka, for Zuko, and for myself. I cried for all the people I'd disappointed, and for the ones I was still disappointing by not being able to snap out of my depression.

The silent tears were quickly followed by quiet sobs, and then by hiccups, but no one awakened. Appa grumbled low, as if he wanted to show me his support. I lay on my side and held onto his hair. His body warmth somehow reminded me of Zuko's, and it helped me calm down a little bit, and I slowly moved from the pit of hurt to the pit of nothing, like I called it internally. It was a weird state of mind, where I was simply blank. After crying to the last tear, you were left with a hollow feeling, where the world dissolved into blackness and you did not feel anything anymore. It was the best state, and in which I was submerged for most of the day, doing all the crying at night.

'Kira, wake up. We're here. Chameleon Bay, at last.' Sokka's voice said above me.

I jolted awake, realizing I had fallen asleep. Dang. I looked over Appa's side and I saw three small Water Tribe ships beneath us, and Appa flew in circles above them, slowly descending.

Sokka pulled from Appa's reigns, and Appa finally landed on water beside the ship at the middle. I saw a tall man standing on the bridge, and I instantly recognized his features. Bato.

Sokka jumped off Appa.

'Dad!' he yelled, and he ran to hug Chief Hakoda, who had just walked out from the bridge, and Katara followed Sokka close behind. I felt the corners of my mouth twitch in a smile for the first time in days, and I went behind the siblings. Hakoda had been a surrogate father to me in my childhood. While I was with Zuko, that role had been filled by Iroh, but the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe had taken care of me most of my life and treated me like a daughter.

A soft warmth began to expand in my chest, and I walked towards him. His children broke the hug, and he smiled at me. I flung my arms around him, and he returned the hug, as I felt that sweet warmth expand slowly, and I inhaled his scent, which smelled like home. Then he broke the hug and he pushed me to arm length, studying my face.

'Kira, what happened to you? Sokka said you had been kidnapped by the Prince of the Fire Nation'

I winced slightly at Zuko's title, but I sighed. I looked into his blue eyes, that were piercing me, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold myself once I started, so I decided against saying anything. I looked down.

'She won't talk, Dad' Sokka said from behind me. 'We've been trying to get a word out of her for days, but no use'

Hakoda stared at me, and I saw clearly how his brow creased in a frown. And then he looked back at Sokka and Katara.

'But have they done something to her? Is she sick or something?'

I bit my lower lip, while Katara explained. 'No, I checked, and she hasn't been hurt… physically'. She hesitated before saying the last word, and I confirmed my idea that she suspected that something more had happened to me, something that had to do with emotions. Emotions for the people I left behind. At that moment I knew I would not be able to hide the truth from Katara forever. She knew me too well, and eventually she'd figure it out.

Hakoda pierced me again with his blue eyes, and I stared back, hoping he could tell from my eyes that I didn't want to talk about it.

'So this silence… is what you've chosen, Kira?' he asked.

I nodded. He studied me for another minute, and then I saw his eyes glimmer with sad understanding. He straightened up, and made me turn around to stare at the people gathered to welcome us, leaving both hands on my shoulders.

'We should let her rest. If she chooses to remain silent, no one should force her to speak' he said aloud.

'But Dad!' Sokka protested, but Hakoda raised his hand and my brother fell silent.

'She is your sister, Sokka' he said sternly. 'You, of all people, should try to help her'

Sokka looked down dejectedly, and I heard him mutter under his breath, 'I've tried'

I felt bad for him, and for everyone. But I had spent so many days in silence that I had created a sort of barrier between me and the rest of the world, and I couldn't bring myself to break it now.

And then Hakoda walked past me, and I saw his face go pale, as he approached Katara, who was now bringing a comatose Aang down from Appa.

'He needs to rest. We'll brief you on everything tonight at dinner' she explained, and Hakoda helped her carry Aang to a comfortable spot, as Bato gave orders to return to shore.

* * *

We spent a few days on Chameleon Bay. It felt good to be around my people again, but it wasn't the same. After Sokka told everybody that I had spent months travelling with the Prince of the Fire Nation willingly, and the fact that I refused to explain myself, every time I looked at Hakoda's men, I saw mistrust in their eyes, and they shunned me. Of all the people gathered in Chameleon Bay, only Hakoda and Katara were nice to me. Sokka was still upset that I wasn't talking, and Toph did not address me, though sometimes she sat close to me and I sensed she was paying attention to my body signs, trying to decipher me.

But luckily nobody had demanded any sort of explanation from me anymore, and soon my silence transformed me in little more than a ghost wandering around the men, as everyone learnt to ignore my presence.

We spent the nights sitting in a big circle around a bonfire, and I learnt about the gang's adventures as Katara and Sokka filled Hakoda and the rest of the Tribe in everything that had happened to them. I was amazed to find Katara had been deemed Master already, and my heart broke again when Sokka recounted Yue's death at the North Pole. I was surprised to know that Toph was way tougher than she looked like, and my heart leaped with excitement when they narrated how much Aang had grown in those months. I was also impressed by Sokka's discovery that the Fire Nation would be virtually defenseless during the next eclipse and by his plan to invade the Capital that day, and shocked to hear that it was Katara who had inadvertently given us off to Azula. I had felt a flash of anger at my sister for ending the bliss that my days with Zuko at Ba Sing Se had been, but who could blame her? She did what she thought was right, and I could only blame Azula, and Zuko himself for his change of heart.

Hakoda was immensely proud of his children, and he turned those nights into almost celebrations. His cheerful spirit made all of us feel welcome, and I realized how much we all had missed him. Except for Katara. Not that she hadn't missed him, actually, but she behaved strangely distant and cold towards her father sometimes, and I failed to understand what her problem was, specially because I was still bound to my vow of silence, and I did not talk to her.

Nevertheless, we were not to stay long at Chameleon Bay. Our peace would be broken.

One sunny afternoon, a shrill sound pierced the silence. We all ran to the shore, following Bato's whistle.

'What's happening?' Hakoda asked immediately. Bato pointed at a black spot over the horizon.

'Fire Navy!'

'Oh, no' Katara said. 'Aang hasn't woken up yet, we can't confront them…'

'Do you think they've seen us?' Hakoda asked Bato.

'Hard to tell from here, but I don't think so.'

'Hide out!' Hakoda ordered everyone, and we all began to cover our things, as Toph lifted some earth to create a slope between our camp and the beach, making sure our tents couldn't be seen from the sea.

Hakoda, Katara, Sokka, Toph and I ran up the new slope to approach Bato, who was now standing on a downhill beach. Then we all gasped as many more black spots began to fill the horizon.

* * *

That night, we sat around a tiny bonfire, and I noticed frowns in all faces.

'We can't keep running from them forever' Bato finally said, breaking the heavy silence.

'No, I guess not' Hakoda agreed. 'But we can't fight them all' Then his face brightened up with a sudden idea. 'Why don't we hijack a ship?'

'Great idea, Dad!' Sokka replied enthusiastically. 'We could sneak up on them at night, and catch them by surprise! They'd never see it coming!'

'We would have to split' Hakoda added thoughtfully, already setting the details of the plan in his head.

'Yeah!' Sokka agreed. 'Bato, you and I take the lead, and we can leave the benders at the rear, and-'

'It wouldn't work' I said coldly, and I almost winced at how hoarse my voice sounded, after weeks of silence.

A heavy silence befell the group, as all faces turned to look at me, gaping, surprised that I had broken my vow of silence. I felt my face beginning to go red with embarrassment, and Sokka gasped.

'Oh, you had a tongue' he said sarcastically, raising one eyebrow.

I looked away, upset, but Hakoda cleared his throat.

'Why do you think it wouldn't work, Kira?'

'Because they'd lit the flares and the whole Navy would be upon us in a second. Besides, if it's a transport ship headed to Ba Sing Se, it will probably be loaded with soldiers and it will be impossible to take' I pointed out.

The silence was heavy again at my deep knowledge of Fire Navy procedures, and even Hakoda gaped at me now. But his surprise didn't last a second, and the strategic side of his brilliant mind took over.

'So what do you suggest?'

I drew a deep breath. 'You should send in a spy, someone who knows the ship and where to go, and he or she could check how many people it carries and take care of the flares, so you could sneak in and take it with less risk for all. We would have to do it at night, to ensure that at least two thirds of the crew are sleeping'

'Wait! How do we know we can trust you?' Sokka interrupted, getting to his feet and pointing his boomerang at me.

'Sokka!' Katara protested, but my brother insisted.

'We don't know if we can trust her! She hasn't spoken in weeks, and she was with Zuko all this time! How do we know she's not here to set us up and deliver Aang to the Firelord?'

I sensed a crack making way through my heart at his accusations, and my eyes felt wet, threatening to burst out crying again.

'You don't' I muttered, but in the silence my words were heard by everyone. All faces turned to look at me again, and I got to my feet, facing Sokka.

'Let me tell you something, Sokka. I've heard what you went through, and I am amazed by how much all of you have grown and learnt. But you know nothing about what happened to me, and I plan to leave it that way. I can tell you I'd give my life for the cause if necessary, and you have no idea what I've given up already to defend our dream of a world free of Fire Nation tyranny. But I can't give you anything more than my words, and it is your choice to believe me or not'

I stared at my brother standing across the fire, and his determined expression gave way to doubt, and the tension made the air around us so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Katara got to her feet.

'This is ridiculous. We're family. We are few enough, and if we start to mistrust one another we'll never end this war. Kira is our sister, Sokka. If we don't trust our own sister… well, we can't trust anyone'

'She's not lying, Sokka' Toph added.

My brother's jaw softened at that and he nodded curtly, indicating I could continue, before sitting back down.

I imitated him and then I looked at my right at Hakoda.

'I'm sorry about everything that's happened, but I am the only person in this group who could sneak in that ship and get the information we need. But I am not ready to talk about all these months yet and I can only hope you will let me prove my loyalty to you'

The Chief nodded, and I shot him a thankful look. 'You might want to get ready' he said, and I stood up and walked to my tent, feeling everyone's eyes fixed on me.

A few minutes later, I was inside my tent, checking my daggers were sharp enough, when the fold of the tent opened and Sokka came in.

I looked up at him inquisitively. He took a hand behind his head, looking awkward, and I realized he wanted to apologize.

'Look, Kira, I'm sorry about…' he began, his voice trailing off.

I shook my head lightly.

'It's okay. You don't have to apologize. You were doing the right thing for the Tribe.'

But Sokka wasn't a man to back down once he had started.

'I shouldn't have been so rough with you. But it was just… unnerving not to know what happened, you know?' He sighed. 'I realize now that, whether I understand it or not, you grew affection for Zuko and his Uncle, and it must have been difficult to leave them behind, even after Zuko betrayed you' he said, and I looked down, my eyes growing teary again.

Sokka crouched beside me.

'I was just worried about you. You're my sister after all, but you didn't look like yourself when I caught you, right after you climbed out of that cave, and… you've changed. I was concerned about your silence, and I may have gone a little off the line' he muttered.

I looked up and my eyes met his blue ones. The seconds lingered as we stared at each other, reaching an unspoken mutual understanding, and then I sighed.

'Thanks, Sokka'

My brother's mouth twitched into a small smile, and without another word he left the tent.

* * *

A few hours later, when the moon was high in the sky, I was standing on the railing of Hakoda's ship, all dressed in black and carrying my daggers and my waterbag, Katara standing next to me, both of us fidgeting nervously. We were about a mile away from the rear line of ships, and we were staring at a vessel that was slightly separated from the others.

'I'll build up a tower of water for a moment. That will be the sign' I told Katara, and she nodded quickly, acknowledging. And then my voice dropped a few inches, and I stared at my sister.

'If you don't see the sign within two hours from now, turn around and escape.'

She frowned. 'I'm not leaving you trapped on a Fire Nation ship again!'

'Katara, remember I'm not the only one in this' I said, grabbing her shoulders. 'If Aang gets captured I will never forgive myself. So please, pay close attention, and if I don't return…' I couldn't finish the sentence, knowing I was probably placing a death sentence on my head, but it was important that Katara understood.

After a moment of silent hesitation, she looked down, defeated, when she realized I was right. 'Fine'. Then she removed her waterbag from her back and she handed it to me.

'I have my own waterbag!' I protested in a low voice.

'But you may need more water. You'll need it more than me now'

I took it, giving her a thankful look. 'Thanks.'

'Oh, and remember to tell them to climb on the starboard side, I'll leave an ice ladder there so they can climb up' I added as a final happy note.

She nodded again, and then she hugged me. 'Be careful, sister'

I enjoyed the warmth of my sister's arms around me, and I closed my eyes to take in the sweet honey scent of her hair, thinking that if things went wrong this would be the last time I saw her. 'I will.'

Then I jumped in the water, swimming at top speed towards the huge ship, and trying to avoid unnerving thoughts about what could happen if I failed. I surrounded the ship, checking if I could climb the anchor chain, but they hadn't dropped anchor, so I created the ice ladder and hoisted myself up to the deck.

* * *

_**A/N: So, the first chapter of this book turned out to be so long that I had to split it in three parts. For this time I am not going to post all three parts together because I haven't written much more ahead, so this should give me some time to prepare more chapters for you guys. **_

_**Thanks to all the people who read my story, and thanks to my reviewers. So far I haven't decided on any nickname for Kira, though I'm considering the ideas you've given me. Still, I'd welcome more reviews. Don't be ashamed of writing! I read all my reviews and try to respond to them, in a way, with the development of the story. I know writing a review is kind of embarrassing sometimes, but just by saying that you like the story you brighten up my day! **_

_**Thanks again and by Wednesday I should be uploading the following part, unless I get suddenly inspired and write at least three more chapters in a row, which is unfortunately unlikely because I still have papers and exams to study for :( **_

_**R&R!**_


	25. Internal Scars, Part II

**Chapter 25: Internal Scars, Part II**

I spied over the railing at the guards on deck. There were two of them, and I knew I had to be quiet at knocking them down. Luckily they were giving me their backs. I drew some water from the ocean and turned it into two small iceballs, and then I peeked over the railing again. I jumped on deck soundlessly and ran to the guards, as my two iceballs knocked them out, hitting them on the base of the neck. I arrived at their side just as they were falling, and grabbed one with each hand from their collars, clenching my teeth at the effort of holding the dead weight of two men. I dragged them closer to the wall, making sure I couldn't be spotted from the bridge above, where there was bound to be an officer or two.

I gently lay the men down on deck and used my dagger to cut a piece of their clothes, tying their hands and covering their mouths, all quickly as I kept glancing over my shoulder in case more guards appeared.

When I finished with them, I turned around, crouching, and scanned the deck. I saw some crates close to me and dragged the unconscious men behind the crates, so they wouldn't be easily found by other men before I had time to turn off the flares.

Then I ran to the closest latch, and opened it carefully, trying to keep the noise at minimum level, and sneaked inside.

I descended to the second level, and I ran down the hallway as silently as I could, trying to find the flare room. All Fire Navy ships were similar, specially those designed for transport, escort and war. Only Royal Navy ships were slightly different, but since Zuko had been banished, he travelled in an ordinary ship, which pissed him off quite a bit, I remembered with a sad smile. That meant that the structure of Zuko's ship was a lot like this one, and the flare room was probably on the second level, in the stern side of the ship.

When I figured I had gone past the middle section of the ship, I slowed down, checking all doors and the signs imprinted on them.

Fortunately I didn't run across anyone, and then I saw in one of the open doors a big sign reading "Flare Room". Peeking in, I saw one man standing by the controls.

Dang, that would make it slightly more difficult, because if I didn't knock the man out immediately, he might set the alarm and it would be my end. I drew water from my waterbag and created another little iceball. I peeked in again and shot the iceball at the side of his head, hitting him hard.

The man stumbled back as he took a hand to the side of his head, momentarily dizzied, as I had planned, and I used that moment to hit him on the back of his head with the ice ball.

He fell forward, and again I rushed to hold his body before it hit the ground. I tied him up like I had done with the previous guards and looked around. There was a tiny window in a corner. Thank the Spirits! I ran to it and opened it, refilling my waterbag with water from the ocean. Then I went back to the board to study the controls. I knew that there were different types of flares, some designed to warn ships nearby, others meant to be seen from a long distance. But I didn't imagine there were so many.

On the control table in front of me there were several levers lined up, and there was one lever at the side too, but I couldn't figure out what that was for. Somehow I had to either break or lock them all.

I went to the open window and drew more water in, and then I created a thick layer of ice over the controls, and I stuck a shard of ice on the lever at the side. It would take them a while to melt all that.

Good. One task complete, one to go.

I ran to the door and peeked outside, but I found my luck was over. Two men were coming down the hallway. I bit my lower lip. I still had to go and check the soldier barracks to count the number of men aboard the ship before summoning the Water Tribe warriors. If I got captured or delayed at this point, or if they gave the alarm, the whole operation would go down.

I drew water from outside again and held two whips in my hands. Then, with my back against the wall just beside the door, I peeked out again. The two men were closer now. I drew breath and jumped out at the hallway, whipping at the men's legs.

'Hey!' one of them shouted, as they fell to the ground.

Then I directed some water at his mouth and covered it with ice, for the man's surprise, and I did the same with the other one, ensuring they wouldn't shout for help. But their hands and legs were still free, and the man on my right kicked a tongue of fire towards me as he jumped to his feet. I ducked, feeling the fire burn some hairs at the top of my head, and then I pulled out my daggers, as the other man got to his feet too. With a couple of quick gashes, the arms and thighs of the men were bleeding, and one of them fell on his knees. I quickly sent an iceball to his head and he was knocked out. But the one on the left was a firebender too, and he punched two fireballs in quick succession. Again I ducked, and I threw a slide of ice at his feet, making him fall to the ground. Then I surrounded his wrists and ankles with thick ice, and the man glared at me from the floor, helpless, burning me with his eyes.

Leaving the men on the ground, I didn't lose another second, and I turned around and ran away, to find the barracks where the soldiers slept. I sharpened my ears to catch any hurried footsteps, which would mean I had been heard and discovered, but the only noise I could hear was the roar of the engines. That meant that no one had heard the duel I had just had. I sighed, relieved.

I descended another level and ran until the end of the hallway, at about mid-ship, where the soldier barracks were on most Fire Navy ships.

I opened the door very carefully. I sneaked inside as quietly as I could, and saw all the soldiers sleeping. Fortunately, my plan was bold enough to surprise the crew. There was no guard at the gate of the barracks, for no one thought possible that an intruder would dare to go to the most dangerous place of the ship. One trip, one false step, one noise, and there would be plenty of soldiers around me in a second.

With my back against the wall, and holding my breath, I counted the occupied bunks. I had thirty five men sleeping in front of me. But I had to check how many more were on duty that night, so I carefully tiptoed further inside, until I saw the first empty line of bunks. I quickly counted the ones that had packs at the end of the bed. Twenty more. If you added the captain and officers, that probably wouldn't be more than 5 people, the final count was sixty men on board.

Phew! It must be our lucky day! It was a lower count than I had expected, and the vessel was clearly not on its way to Ba Sing Se but probably the other way around, for the smaller transport ships, like this one, could carry over three hundred soldiers.

Then I tiptoed back out, and closed the latch. I had to lock it, to keep the men from coming out when battle ensued, but how? I walked back the hallway, and entered one of the lateral rooms, that was empty. I walked to the end of it, but there were no windows. I ran back to the hall and tried the next room. This one did have a window. I smirked, as I opened it and drew some water from the ocean. I carried it to the barracks' latch and covered it with a thick layer of ice.

There! They would have a hard time trying to get out.

Then I turned back and ran all the way back the hall to the first set of stairs. I climbed up to deck, and raised the latch just a little to peek over the deck before coming out. It was a good idea, because there were two more men on deck, wearing confused looks in their faces at seeing their guard partners had disappeared.

I created my two little iceballs and waited until they passed my latch. Then I jumped out and knocked them out, but this time I didn't take the caution to hold them before they hit the ground. Instead, I ran to the back of the ship, sticking my back to the walls, until I reached the stern. I scanned the open deck, and saw I had a clear shot. Then I ran to the tip of the stern, and, drawing a deep breath, I raised a column of water from the ocean, and waved it a little for a second before dropping it.

That should do it. I ran to the bow again, and stationed myself near the ice ladder, my eyes fixed at the bridge above.

Soon enough, I heard the soft sound of feet climbing up the ice ladder. Hakoda was the first, and I helped him up, Bato immediately behind. I raised six fingers to indicate to the Chief the total amount of men on board. He smiled, relieved, and then I told him silently that thirty five were locked in the barracks below, so we only had to take down twenty five men.

Then he silently ran to the bridge, followed by Bato, as planned, while I helped Sokka, Katara and Toph up the deck. I led them behind some crates, and we all crouched.

'Thirty five men locked at the barracks and twenty soldiers on duty, but I took seven down already, so we're thirteen men down to go, unless any of them has released himself' I whispered, as they all stared at me gravely.

They nodded, and Sokka gave us some instructions before running to the machine room, as the girls descended down the stairs, further inside the ship, their task to clear it from guards by sections. I ran to the latch on the side of the bridge, the one that led to the main chambers where the captain and subofficers slept, and went inside.

I ran down the hall, checking each room, but the first ones were empty, as I had guessed, and I quickly reached the last five chambers. If I was right, two subofficers would be on the bridge, and they were Hakoda and Bato's, and as they secured the ship I had to make sure the Captain and the other subofficers did not present trouble. Sokka had said he would come this way as soon as he secured the machine room, and the plan was that I waited there for him and only battled the men if they woke up before time. But I knew it would be far easier to surprise them in their sleep, so I carefully opened the latch of the first chamber.

This people were definitely not like Zuko. The Fire Prince could sense someone coming down the hallway from meters away, even in his sleep, but this man didn't even wake up when I opened the latch. He was more like Iroh, I thought with a sad smile. I drew water from the window and quickly froze his wrists and ankles. He opened his eyes in alarm, but he had my dagger on his neck.

'One word, and you'll never see daylight again' I hissed. Then I used the other dagger to snatch a piece of his clothes and I covered his mouth, as the man's eyes glared with hatred.

I sneaked out, but my luck was over. The Captain and the first subofficer were waiting for me at the hall, wearing smug grins on their faces.

I readied myself. I had very few chances of winning, since the rank of the men ensured that they were the best firebenders on board, but I just had to hold them off until Sokka came to help me.

They punched two fireballs at me, and I ducked quickly, but the first subofficer jumped forward and kicked a tongue of flame, and I had to raise water in front of me as I dodged.

Then the man hurried forward to grab me, but I stepped back, as I turned the water into balls of ice and threw them at him. They hit him on his face, and he fell down, but the Captain had already sent another blast of fire towards me, and I was unprepared. All I could do was throw myself on the ground, but from there I sent a slide of ice to the feet of the Captain before jumping back on my feet.

The man jumped in the air and avoided my attack, but before the ice slid away I summoned it, turning it into a ball of ice directly headed to the Captain's head from behind.

But he smiled as he ducked my ice ball, and I stopped it in front of my face, astounded. Then the first subofficer stood up again, and they coordinated their attack. A bunch of fireballs flew towards me, one after the other, that I avoided each time by a closer margin, and the last one I couldn't stop. I saw it coming to my face when a strong arm closed around my waist and pulled me off the way and around the corner.

'Need any help?' Sokka grinned at me.

'Could use some' I replied, giving him a thankful look.

Then he jumped forward and threw his boomerang to the men. I jumped in front of him and crouched, sending two slides of ice at their feet. They avoided the boomerang but could not avoid the slides, and both men fell down. Then I froze their ankles and wrists, and Sokka and I tied them down.

Then we ran back to deck, where I almost ran into Katara, who wore a big smile on her face.

'We've got them down!' she said, beaming.

Sokka and I turned around at once and climbed to the bridge, where Hakoda and Bato were beaming as well.

'Victory is ours!' Bato yelled through the window, and the girls cheered down on deck.

'Now Sokka and I will take care of dragging the bound men to the soldier barracks' I said gravely.

'Can't you let me taste victory for just one moment?' Sokka said angrily.

I smiled. 'Okay, one second'

He jumped up and down with his boomerang, cheering and hugging his father. Then his face went completely serious again as he turned to me, which made me release a tiny giggle.

'C'mon, let's finish this before the remaining Water Tribe men show up'

* * *

By next morning, all men were safe and sound in the soldier barracks, and we had locked the door, covering it again with a thick wall of ice, and planted one Water Tribe warrior as guard.

We stole some clothes from the soldiers and we all dressed in Fire Nation uniform, and we sailed quietly west. We ran into a few Fire Navy ships, but none approached us.

Being on a Fire Nation ship brought me many hurtful memories of past times, and I was almost half-expecting Iroh or Zuko to come out of the latch and start barking orders any minute. The sadness had pulled me into silence again, but not a complete one this time. Besides, I did not reject my family's company straight away as I did before. Somehow, playing a part in the hijack of the ship had helped me forget for less than an hour about my ex boyfriend and Iroh, and something had changed within me. I was still sad and hurt and depressed, I still enjoyed being alone, and I did not talk much, but I did not openly shun my friends anymore.

On their part, they relaxed about me a little.

Sokka had finally understood that my reasons for not talking were purely sentimental, and he did not try to delve into my memories again.

Toph seemed kind of disappointed with my attitude. I guessed Katara and Sokka had told her wonders about me, but when she finally got to meet me and live with me, I was nothing but this broken girl, this ghost that kept whining, sobbing and moaning most of the time. I had noticed she had a nickname for everyone, and I was half expecting to get a nickname like Moaning Crybaby or Depression Princess or something like that, but strangely, the few times that she did address me, she called me by my name. I could only guess she was waiting to get to know me better to come up with an annoying nickname. She probably realized that I was so depressed I wouldn't even react to a nickname, and then what was the fun in that?

Katara kept me company, and I got used to her presence. She would normally show up at about sunset, and she stood by my side well until the sun had sunk behind the line of the horizon. It reminded me of Iroh's company when I was in Zuko's ship, and I cried many silent tears wishing he would come up with the board of Pai Sho or a relaxing cup of tea.

But what still hurt me the most was that Iroh himself was probably having a much worse time than I was… that if he was still alive. Losing Iroh was something I knew I would never fully recover from. He had taught me so much, and besides, after analyzing all my memories, I had come to a horrible realization: I had never been as good to him as he had been to me. Actually, I had behaved like a selfish brat most of the time. I remembered how rude I had been with him after I had the manic attack, and I understood now that it had been ridiculous to blame Iroh for what had happened to me. Iroh loved Zuko dearly, and at the time he barely knew me. It was obvious that he'd pick up his nephew if he had to choose, I mean, what was I to him back then? And when you think I had yelled at him.

I was thankful to have one chamber for myself, because it allowed me to cry and sob aloud all I wanted, since I had picked one quite apart from the center of activity, and quite apart from the rest of my family.

So every night I poured my soul through my tears, and by day I helped Hakoda and Bato understand the basics about the ship and how to read the modern nautical instruments the Fire Nation used, among other things. I had also taken the post as cook of the ship, and somehow Sokka and Toph always managed to show up when I was preparing the meal and steal pieces of whatever it was that I was cooking.

A few days after we hijacked the ship, we crossed over the Serpent's Pass, and Katara was telling me all about how a girl named Suki –whom Sokka seemed to have a crush upon– had helped them through and how Aang and herself had to battle a huge Sea Serpent, but I tuned her out when memories of my own crossing of this place came swirling back to my memory. I remembered Jet with a frown, and I remembered I had never actually asked Katara if she had met him or not, but she was so immersed in her story that I did not dare interrupt her.

But then I remembered watching the sunset with Zuko at my side, and how we had grasped hands. I looked down at my hand, and I could almost feel the ghost of his warm hand over mine, the heat of his fingers, the comfort and safety he had represented to me, and my eyes filled with tears again.

Katara interrupted her story when she saw me crying, and she stared at me in silence for a second, correctly guessing why I was crying.

'This place brings memories to you too, doesn't it?'

I nodded curtly, staring at the sunset. Katara's voice dropped a few inches, and when she talked again, it was filled with sympathy and compassion, my sister's characteristic traits.

'Don't answer if you don't want to, but I'm curious, how did you get to Ba Sing Se?'

I wiped the tears off my eyes, surprising myself when I answered. 'The Order of the White Lotus gave us fake papers, and we entered the city as refugees.'

'The Order of the White Lotus?'

I shrugged. 'I don't know, it's some club Iroh belonged to.'

And then a black spot appeared in the distance, right over the line of the horizon, materializing over the light evening fog. I squinted, trying to make out what it was, but we all knew what it was without having to look more closely. More Fire Navy ships.

I sighed, remembering all the refugees that had travelled with us on the ferry. Now that the Fire Nation had conquered Ba Sing Se, where would all they turn to? I smashed my fist on the metal railing of the ship in a sudden outburst of anger, startling Katara. This was all Zuko's fault. And I knew that he knew the consequences. He had travelled with these people too, he knew many lives would be ruined now that the last Earth Kingdom stand had fallen under Fire Nation tyranny too.

I wondered if he felt guilty about it. I surely hoped he did.

* * *

_**Zuko's POV:**_

_He was sitting in the ornate Fire Nation throne, his face scarless, many long lines of soldiers bowing before him, their rightful leader. And then suddenly the pillars, the roof, everything, came crashing down upon him, a huge hole in the ground sucking him down. He panicked, and tried to hold on to something, anything._

_And then a small, cold, dark skinned hand closed around his. He looked up, and he met Kira's blue eyes. She smiled at him, that dazzling large smile she had when she looked at him. Kira, beautiful and strong, always there for him, always there to save him, the girl he had come to love, the only one to have ever touched his heart. _

_But suddenly her smile twitched, and her eyes turned cold, a wild expression appearing on her face as her smile turned feral, and she laughed, a cold, evil laugh that resembled his sister's, and she pulled up from his arm with her left hand, not trying to get him out of the hole but exposing his chest. Zuko was confused for a moment, but his confusion turned to horror when her right hand went behind her back and she pulled out her dagger. Then her face contorted with rage, and she bared her teeth in a wild animal expression before ushering a long wail. 'I will never forgive you!' she shrieked, and she stabbed the dagger in Zuko's heart._

Zuko jolted awake with a gasp, his chest slick from the sweat, his breath quick and his heart jamming against his ribs. He took a hand to his chest, checking he did not actually have a dagger stuck in there, as he tried to calm down. This was a recurring nightmare, he'd been having it since he had left Ba Sing Se.

He banged a fist against the mattress in anger before slipping out of bed, getting dressed and walking out to deck. He didn't know exactly why he was having these dreams, but one thing was sure: Kira had betrayed him. She had left him alone when he needed her the most; and then she had turned her back on him, even attacking him when he did not follow her.

Zuko had been dealing with an array of contradictory emotions since that fatidic day when Azula had killed the Avatar. He had made his choice, and he wasn't going to back up now, but his mind kept fussing over those events, and the figure of his Uncle was the most confusing part of all. He knew he had betrayed his Uncle, somehow, his heart told him so, but he was also sure he had done the right thing. He had helped his sister, and he was on his way to see his father again, after three long years. Zuko would regain his honor, his birthright, his throne, his identity as Prince of the Fire Nation. He was following his destiny, and he didn't understand why Kira and Uncle had turned away from him. Azula said they had betrayed him, and Zuko wanted desperately to believe her, but something just wasn't right, in regards to his Uncle, at least.

As for Kira, all he could feel was pain. Pain because he had loved her, she had turned his life around and even though he didn't like it at first, he had come to realize she made him happy, and he had accepted and embraced that longing he felt of being with her, touching her, looking into her eyes, holding her hand, talking with her, listening to her singing. He figured it was love, and the moments of joy and peace he had shared with Kira were bliss previously unknown to him. And he missed her now. Oh Agni, how much he missed her.

But the more he missed her, the more that awful yearning burned inside his stomach and hurt like he'd been stabbed in the abdomen, the more hurt he felt at knowing she had turned away from him forever. The first days had been hell, and only the other desire he had at the moment, which was getting his father's love again, had been strong enough to keep him from turning around and running after her.

But as the days passed, the hurt began to fade, replaced by a no less horrible empty feeling. He felt hollow, and only the burning desire to return home filled him. He had never been more obsessed about it. He wanted to push the ship forward and make it fly over the ocean, make it return his life to him, because that was the only way his life would gain meaning again and losing Kira would have been worth it.

Besides, he had found relief in Mai. The tall girl had been his childhood crush, one of Azula's best friends, and it turned out she was there in Ba Sing Se with his sister, helping her develop her masterplan. The first time Zuko saw Mai after all that had happened, he had felt a distinct warmth inside that seemed to have disappeared from his life so far, that warmth he had felt when he hugged Uncle, or when he held Kira's hand, the warmth of affection, of friends, of caring.

And Mai had been immediately drawn to him. Zuko had instantly perceived that she still had a crush on him, and he had been greatly surprised when she greeted him with a kiss full on the lips. He had blushed, having always thought of her as a friend, but when his eyes fell upon her worked up body he realized that she was no longer a child, she had grown to be a strong independent woman.

And Zuko was so devastated after the break up with Kira, that he figured dating Mai would help him recover more quickly. All he wanted was to escape that dreadful pain he felt all the time, that guilt that was stationed at his gut and wouldn't let him sleep at night, those what ifs that burned inside his brain when he went to bed. He wanted to forget, to bury the past, to pretend it had never happened, and that he could return to his old life. He would be the Prince again, he would get served again, and his father would accept him.

Zuko could pretend his life was perfect once again, and he could forget all about the girl that had broken his heart.

After about a fortnight, the Mai effect began to work. He began to be able to sleep at night, and the pain began to fade away. Some days he woke up with a large smile, ready to take on the day, to take on the world. But some other days the nightmares would plague his mind, and he'd wake up with a horrible feeling of loss.

But even though he was finally beginning to get over Kira, there was still one thing that hurt, one needle stuck in his heart, something he could not just forget no matter how hard he tried.

Uncle.

What was he going to do about Uncle? Azula wanted to throw him in jail, and undoubtedly their father would agree to the idea, since Iroh had been considered a traitor since the fiasco at the North Pole. Zuko wished there was something he could do to prevent it from happening, but still, deep inside of himself, he was relieved that there was actually nothing he could do. Because this way, he escaped temptation.

Besides, Uncle had known perfectly what he was doing, and what the consequences would be.

He should have sided with him, Zuko thought with a grimace. It was the only way he'd come alive out of it all. Zuko would even have made something up to justify his behavior. Uncle was slightly senile, sometimes he didn't know what he was doing, he hadn't really intended to defend the Avatar at the North Pole, Zuko was there, he could testify.

But no, Uncle had decided to support the Avatar at Ba Sing Se too, and confront Azula. Now not even Zuko could save him.

Why had Uncle done that? It was ridiculous! And Zuko couldn't help but to feel that he had betrayed Uncle somehow. It didn't make sense, because he had made the right choice, he had done the right thing, and Uncle hadn't, but still, just the memory of his Iroh's disappointment when he had looked away haunted Zuko every day.

Azula had been smart enough to understand the deep connection that Zuko and his Uncle shared, so she had locked Uncle at the deepest cell in the ship, and she had hinted that Zuko's innocence had not been proved yet, so if he visited the traitor, he may be held as a traitor himself. As a consequence, Zuko was alone when he needed his confidents the most. Kira had run away, turned her back on him, and Uncle was locked down in prison and he could not visit him.

That was probably why he had leaned on Mai, the only other person he trusted aboard this ship. And speaking of Mai…

'Aren't you cold?' the voice of the girl sounded behind his back, but Zuko was not surprised. He had smelled her perfume a few seconds ago.

Zuko sighed. 'No, I just have a lot on my mind'. He wished he could tell her everything that troubled him, but she would definitely not appreciate his worries over his traitorous Uncle and the girl Mai knew he had been dating on Ba Sing Se, so he twisted the truth just a little. 'It's been so long. Over three years since I was home. I wonder what's changed. I wonder how I've changed'

It wasn't a complete lie after all. He was concerned about it. Part of his nightmares sometimes involved being rejected by his father and having to roam the seas again as the banished prince.

But the girl did not press on. Instead, she yawned.

'I just asked if you were cold. I didn't ask for your whole life story' Then she smiled as she wrapped her arms around him. This was what Zuko liked the most about her. She could always surprise him, and comfort him in ways he would never have imagined. 'Stop worrying' she added, before turning his face to deposit a soft kiss on his lips.

Then she walked away, the ghost of her hand on his scarred face. Zuko closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them to stare at the moon, -_the princess that had died to bring it alive again_-, and he sighed.

He wished it was that easy.


	26. Internal Scars, Part III

**Chapter 26: Internal Scars, Part III**

_**Kira's POV:**_

Three days after crossing the Serpent's Pass, Katara, Toph and I were leaning on the railing, Katara and Toph discussing Aang's condition, as I listened.

'How much longer do you think he'll be out?' Toph asked.

Katara shook her head sadly. 'I don't know. I've been healing him, but there's no way to tell how far did the damage go until he wakes up.'

But then there was a commotion behind us, and Toph smiled as we turned to the noise.

'Twinkle-Toes, that's got to be you'

Aang was standing on deck, with Momo perched on his back, looking dazed and confused.

I felt a strange smile spread over my face, and Katara and I ran towards him.

'Aang, you're awake!' Katara yelled happily.

'Are you sure?' Aang said, rubbing his eyes. 'I feel like I'm dreaming'

Katara ran up to him and embraced him, and he almost fell on his back, off guard.

'You're not dreaming. You're finally awake'

Then Sokka walked past me and hugged Aang quickly. 'Aang, good to see you back with the living, buddy'

'Sokka?' Aang asked confused. Only then I became aware that we were on a Fire Nation ship and that Sokka was wearing a Fire Nation helmet, and how confusing that must be for Aang, since the last thing he knew was that he was fighting Azula and Zuko on Ba Sing Se.

I ran closer to him, as Toph warned everyone: 'Uh-oh! Somebody catch him, he's gonna…'

Katara ran to catch him, among everyone's gasp of surprise, but not too fast, anyway, for Aang's back hit the deck before she reached him, and Katara only got to prevent his head from being smacked against the ground.

I reached them, concerned, but then my sister looked up with relief. 'He's just fainted. Kira, help me make him comfortable. It won't be long before he wakes up again, and I think he could use some fresh air'

I assisted Katara, and, as she had foreseen, it took Aang only two hours to wake up again. Katara was incredibly anxious to have him awake again, because she wanted to talk to him to find out the extent of the damage Azula had inflicted on him, but I managed to calm her down, by reminding her that Aang needed rest.

When the Avatar finally woke up again, Katara grabbed his hand and leaned over him anxiously. Aang did not jolt back though, and I was close enough to catch a glance of gratitude and adoration he shot at my sister.

'Katara? What happened? How come we're in a Fire Nation ship?'

She smiled, and her eyes glimmered with hope and love when she carefully wrapped a blanket around Aang's shoulders as he sat up. 'You should take it easy now, Aang. You're still weak.'

Only then did Aang direct his gray eyes at me.

'Kira! You made it!'

I smiled. 'It's good to have you back, Aang.' Indeed the Avatar's awakening had brought up a tiny flame of hope into my heart. Maybe I hadn't screwed up completely. Maybe Aang would be okay and we would beat the Fire Nation.

After Sokka and Toph rushed towards him to hug him again, he sat on the ground and Katara sat at his side, and I suddenly felt awkward, as if I was third wheeling. I perceived a strange connection between the young Avatar and my sister, and I decided to study them from afar, so I walked a few steps away, but a minute later Hakoda approached Aang to introduce himself.

'Everything okay?' he asked.

'We're fine, Dad' Katara replied briskly.

The Chief extended his hand towards Aang. 'I'm Hakoda, Katara and Sokka's father'

'He knows who you are' Katara snapped back. I raised one eyebrow. My sister was not prone to rudeness and this was one of the few occasions that I had seen her be rude to her father, but I still failed to understand the reason why she was mad at him. 'I just called you Dad, didn't I?'

The Chief looked down at his daughter, his face unreadable. 'I guess you're right'

But Aang stretched out his arm, and shook Hakoda's. 'Nice to officially meet you, Chief Hakoda'

'It is an honor to meet you' was the polite response.

'Great, great' Katara interrupted, annoyed. 'Now you guys have finally met, so would you mind giving us a little privacy?'

'Of course' Hakoda said before walking away.

I turned around and stared at the water of the huge lake over the railing, wondering about Katara, and about Aang. What had changed? What had I missed? Thinking about them, and about the subtle signs they kept hinting at each other was something much more pleasurable to think about than my usual worries about Iroh and Zuko.

Some hours later, we were sitting in a circle around Aang as Sokka explained everything that had happened to us, but he left my vow of silence out, guessing that Aang would probably find out for himself later.

'So, what now?' Aang asked.

'We've been working on a modified version of the invasion plan' Hakoda said.

'It's Sokka's invasion plan' Katara snapped at him.

'Yes, Sokka's plan. We won't be able to mount a massive invasion without the Earth King's armies, but the solar eclipse will still leave the Fire Nation vulnerable'

'So, we're planning a smaller invasion. Just a ragtag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into Pipsqueak and The Duke' Sokka explained, pointing at the two of them, who had joined us at Chameleon Bay.

'Good to see you again, Aang' Pipsqueak greeted him with his deep voice.

'And the best part is, the eclipse isn't even our biggest advantage' Sokka said excitedly. 'We have a secret. You!'

'Me?' Aang reacted, confused.

'Yep, the whole world thinks you're dead' Sokka raised his arms triumphantly. 'Isn't that great?'

Aang looked shocked.

'The world thinks I'm dead? How is that good news? That's terrible!'

'No, it's great!' Sokka contradicted him. 'It means the Fire Nation won't be hunting us anymore. And even better, they won't expect you on The Day of Black Sun'

I looked at Aang, who seemed positively horrified now. I understood why he was so terrified. He represented hope for many people, and now that everyone thought he was dead, what would they hold on to? I realized he probably felt responsible for it, and I wished I could just tell him that it was not his fault but mine.

'No, no, no, no, no. You have no idea. This is so messed up!' he blurted out, stammering backwards.

But suddenly a deep horn blew behind us. We turned around and we saw the giant shape of another ship heading our way.

'I'll handle this. The Avatar is back!' Aang said, as he opened his glider. But he flinched in pain, clutching his side. Even then he grabbed the glider's wings, preparing to set off.

'Aang, wait!' I said.

'Remember, they don't know we're not Fire Nation!' Katara reminded him.

He reluctantly folded his glider back, and Sokka led him to the stairs.

'Everyone just stay calm. Bato and I will take care of this' Hakoda said.

'Let me help!' I chimed in. 'I'm the best we've got to see through Fire Nation procedures'

Hakoda considered me for an instant. 'Hmm. You look too young for a Fire Nation officer, but we're short of them anyway. You may come.'

I stood at his left, and Bato at his right.

We watched as the bridge was lowered and three men walked into our ship. The commander looked a lot like Zhao, and I shivered. But thinking about the cruel Admiral helped turn the nervousness into cold hatred.

'Commander, why are you off course? All Western Fleet ships are supposed to be moving toward Ba Sing Se to support the occupation' the tall man at the lead demanded.

'Actually, we're from the Eastern Fleet. We have orders to deliver some cargo' Hakoda invented quickly.

'Ah, Eastern Fleet' the commander said. 'Well, nice of Admiral Chan to let us know he was sending one of his ships our way'

'I am sure Admiral Chan meant no disrespect, sir' Bato chimed in.

'I mean, how hard is it to write a quick note and send a hawk our way?' the man replied angrily.

'Next time, we'll send two hawks to make sure you get the message' I added confidently. The man narrowed his eyes at me for a second, and I read in them that he wasn't convinced. Still, the three men inclined their heads, indicating the conversation was over.

We bowed to them in Fire Nation style and we walked away. After a few steps, I leaned close to Hakoda. 'I don't think they bought it' I whispered.

And then Toph shouted from the stairs. 'They know!' and I immediately turned around, to see her taking care of the bridge with metalbending.

I ran to the railing, followed by Katara, and we exchanged glances. She nodded decisively and we raised an enormous wave of water, throwing it over the enemy ship and separating it from our own.

Then the other ship began to shoot immense fireballs at us.

The first ones missed us, but the third one hit the hull and we all stumbled as the ship tipped to starboard. Toph prepared to attack.

'Load the Toph!'

Then as Pipsqueak brought her one of the huge stone discs she had created specifically for this purpose, she kicked it on the air and it crashed the first trebuchet. Toph's second disc crashed against the next fireball.

I stood next to her and began to build big iceballs to throw at them, but they were too far away and my iceballs fell in the water. Then they shot a ballista and the projectile pierced our hull.

'Katara!' I shouted, and she immediately ran to the railing and covered the hole with ice, as I dropped my attempt to throw iceballs and clenched my teeth in frustration. I was a waterbender in open ocean, for heaven's sake! I had to be able to do something!

'I'm gonna give us some cover!' Katara yelled, and she raised a deep mist, but a huge fireball appeared through it, and I drew water and crashed an iceball into it, deflecting the burning rock.

Then we left the mist, and the next projectile fell on the back end of the ship, and the engines turned on fire. Katara and I pulled water in a symmetrical move and extinguished the fire.

But then a huge serpent rose from the water and screeched at us. I drew my daggers, preparing to jump on its head the moment it stroke, but a fireball hit it in the head and the animal hissed. Then it ducked in the water and we watched it attack the enemy Fire Nation ship.

I sighed, relieved, as everyone cheered, but I saw Aang frowning, concerned.

* * *

A few hours later, we docked in an island to get repairs and supplies, and the gang decided to take a walk, to relax after a hard day. When they came to invite me, I refused, but Katara insisted that she wanted to talk to me about something and that just leaving the ship would be good for me. After some insistence, I agreed.

And then we went to pick Aang up. The Avatar frowned when Sokka offered him a headband to cover his arrow and keep his existence a secret.

'I'm not going out if I can't wear my arrow proudly!' he snapped angrily.

For a moment I had a lapse, when I figured what Zuko would have done if someone had even dared suggest that he wore a mask to conceal his scar. He would have set the fool on fire right on the spot.

'Aang, be practical' Sokka insisted.

'You guys go ahead without us. We'll catch up with you' Katara said, but I placed a hand on her shoulder.

'May I have a word with Aang first?'

They all gaped at me, but then Katara nodded. 'I'll wait outside. Toph, Sokka, you guys go. We'll catch up later'

Then she herded them away and closed the door behind her, and I turned to the young Avatar. He eyed me, suspicious, and I remembered that he barely knew me after all.

'Aang, I know what you're going through' I began softly. But the Avatar was not in a good mood.

'No one knows! No one understands! I _failed_! I am the world's last hope and I failed them!' he said as he got to his feet in an outburst of anger.

I bit my lip. 'It's not your fault'

'Then whose is?' he asked, his gray eyes piercing me with an angry expression I'd never seen on the otherwise kind boy.

_Mine_, I wanted to say. _Mine, for letting this happen to you, for not protecting you_. But I shrugged instead.

'Look, you still are the world's last hope. You are alive, Aang. Five days ago we wondered… we didn't know how far did the damage go. I understand you're upset. I've lived among these people. I understand the consequences. But it's not all lost yet, and for once I agree with Sokka. We need to plan this, because our numbers are slim and we're counting on you. I believe you can still save the world' I spluttered the words straight out from my heart.

Aang stared at me for a long moment, and then he looked away.

'Do you have anything else to say? I need to rest' he snapped angrily.

I clenched my teeth, upset at thinking that maybe I should have remained silent. Maybe my words made him feel even worse. Why did I keep making every mistake possible when it came to this kid?

I turned around and opened the door to Katara, and I slipped out of the room before walking out to the island.

When I returned to the ship one hour later, my mood was black. I had not found Sokka or Toph anywhere, nor Katara, and the little village reminded me of the town where Zuko had fought his Agni Kai with Zhao, saving my life for the first time. Naturally, this depressed me more than anything, and my guilt for Aang's pain only made it worse.

But when I climbed to deck, I saw Katara hugging Hakoda, her face wet with tears, and suddenly I knew that something was wrong, horribly wrong, and I didn't stop to wonder why Katara was being nice to her father for the first time in weeks.

'What happened?' I asked.

Katara turned to look at me, her face blotchy from the tears. 'It's Aang! He's gone!'

My heart fell to my knees. 'What do you mean, "He's gone"?'

'He took his glider and he's gone!'

I looked around. Where would he go? We were on a small island, and around there was only sea, a huge storm approaching us from the west. Hakoda followed my gaze and nodded towards land.

'You should search the island' he suggested.

I nodded quickly and ran towards Appa. The huge bison growled, and I placed my hands at the sides of his snout and pressed my forehead against it. He opened his mouth and his long tongue licked my right leg.

Then I looked him in the eye. 'Appa, Aang has gone away. We must find him. Will you help me?'

Somehow talking to the bison felt easy and natural, unlike talking to people, which at this moment of my life was not an easy thing for me.

Appa rumbled low, and I climbed on his head. I looked down at my sister.

'I'll check the island!'

'I'll check the village!' she replied, and she ran down the gangplank without another word.

I pulled from the reigns, imitating Sokka's movements when he steered the bison. 'Appa, yip yip!' The animal smashed his tail against the deck and took flight. I still had to grow used to it. I had ignored the dizziness when we had left Ba Sing Se because I was too depressed to worry about it, but now it proved to be a serious disadvantage.

I held on to Appa's hair for dear life, all the muscles in my body stiffening up, and I swallowed hard as I directed the bison around the island, and peeked over the side of him, using all my might to ignore the urge to throw up.

But after a while, I had roamed the entire island twice and there was no sign of Aang. The only place I hadn't checked yet was the cliffs, but I doubted that in Aang's poor condition he'd dare to climb a cliff.

I surrounded the big cliffs around the small bay where the village sat, and, to my surprise, I saw two little figures sitting down on a ledge, their legs dwindling on the air, staring at the horizon. I approached them, and pulled from Appa's reigns to make him stop and hover just at the end of the cliff, about three feet behind the two young people.

'Toph! Sokka!'

Naturally, they started, and Sokka almost fell off the cliff, but Toph extended a chunk of rock out of the ledge and he stepped on it. The small girl turned towards the sound of my voice, seething.

'What do you think you're doing, shouting like that?'

'Aang's gone! And we can't find him! We gotta go!' I replied, and the mix of embarrassment and anger edged on their faces was replaced by worry, as both kids frowned and ran towards me.

Sokka jumped on Appa, and Toph raised a block of earth beneath her feet, propelling herself on the air and landing perfectly on the saddle.

'What do you mean, "Aang's gone"?' Sokka asked, as I handed him the reigns and clutched at my stomach.

'Katara said he took his glider and disappeared. I've searched the island, but no sign of him. Katara was supposed to look for him at the village, but something tells me he's not there'

'We must return to the ship immediately, then' Sokka decided, and he steered Appa towards the huge gray vessel stationed on the dock.

When Appa landed on deck, a worried-looking Hakoda ran towards us, the crease of his frown deep on his forehead.

'Katara hasn't found him! She fears he tried to fly away over the ocean!'

'But that's ridiculous! He'd never make it!' I replied, staring at the storm almost upon us.

'He'd try anyway' Katara said, climbing down from the bridge.

'But where would he go?' Sokka asked.

'I think I've got an idea' Katara replied, and when she approached us I saw she was carrying all our backpacks, and Momo was perched on her shoulders. I shot her a questioning look, but Hakoda answered for her.

'We've decided you kids should go and try to find Aang, and help him. We'll meet the day of the eclipse' he explained. Then he looked at my brother. 'Sokka, come over, I'll give you a map and show you the meeting point'

Sokka ran to his father, and as they busied themselves over the map, I helped Katara load our packs and tie them on Appa's saddle. I noticed her jaw was clenched and her hands were slightly shaking.

I grabbed her hand and she stared at me. 'We'll find him' I promised her, and she shot me a thankful look through teary eyes before nodding shortly.

Minutes later, we were soaring the stormy skies, scanning the ocean for any sign of the Avatar.

'Where are you taking us, Katara?' I asked my sister, whose determined look reminded me of Zuko for a moment.

'Crescent Island' she replied. 'It's nearby and it means a lot to Aang. It's where he first met Roku'

I nodded, though she couldn't see it because she was giving me her back. I remembered hearing the whole adventure at Avatar Roku's Temple from their lips days ago, at the bonfires back on Chameleon Bay.

I looked at the enraged ocean below us, and a renewed feeling of guilt hit me, as I remembered it was mainly my fault that Aang had fallen comatose, the world thought him dead and he was so upset. I could only hope Katara was right.

* * *

The next morning, I awoke with a start when I noticed Appa had begun to descend. We were reaching an island, or rather a single volcano whose magma had formed a long tail of earth on both sides of the mountain.

'There!' Katara said, and I spotted a small figure spread-eagled on the ground at the shore, wearing orange clothes.

_Spirits, no. _

Katara made Appa land with a splash, and she jumped off, sprinting towards the young Avatar. But Momo arrived first. The small lemur licked Aang's face and he opened his eyes, blinking feebly.

_Oh, thank Yue, he is alive!_

Katara reached him and dropped to her knees, as she wrapped her arms around his head, crying tears of joy. Sokka and Toph followed her, and they all embraced Aang in a group hug. Even Appa stepped closer to touch the four kids with his snout.

But I stood behind. I was as content as the rest of them for finding Aang, but I still felt awkwardly out of place, and my guilt for everything that had happened still weighed heavily on my mind. I saw Aang shut his eyes and hug his friends in return, but I looked away in shame when he opened his gray eyes and he saw me standing a few feet apart.

He gently released his friends' arms from around him and he got to his feet. I saw him walking towards me, and I half turned away, looking at the sea. But the Avatar's hand fell on my arm, and I couldn't help but to turn my teary eyes from the ocean to submerge myself in Aang's big gray eyes.

'You were right about me' he said, staring at me with transparent honesty. 'I'm sorry I was rude to you'

'You weren't rude to me' I muttered with a hoarse voice.

'I'm sorry if I made you feel left out. But I can promise you this: You will never feel like that anymore, not with us. You're part of this family now' Aang replied firmly, and when Katara, Sokka and Toph all nodded, backing up Aang's words, I felt tears trickling down my face, and a sudden lump on my throat, as my chest filled with immense gratitude towards the family that accepted me for who I was, broken as I was and after everything I'd put them through.

'Thank you' I managed to gurgle out, and Aang pulled me into a warm hug. And immediately I felt three more pairs of arms around me, and suddenly my chest filled with love; deep love and affection towards them, and I promised myself as I choked down a sob, that I would never ever ever disappoint them again.

Then the group hug broke, and as I wiped the tears from my eyes, Aang stared at all of us in turn. 'I have so much to do'

'I know' Katara said, 'but you'll have our help'

'You didn't think you could get out of training just by coming to the Fire Nation, did you?' Toph added.

'What about the invasion?' Aang asked.

'We'll join up with my dad and the invasion force on the day of the eclipse' Sokka explained.

Then Toph picked something up from the water behind her back. 'Hey, what's…' Then we saw it was Aang's glider, broken and burnt. 'Oh… it's your glider.'

She handed it to Aang, and we all stared at him cautiously, waiting for his reaction.

'That's okay' he said, to our relief. 'If someone saw it, it would give away my identity. It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive'

Then he airbended himself over a mound beside a river of lava. After a second, he made the glider spin above his head and then he slammed it into the lava before jumping away.

I suddenly had a vivid memory of Zuko, when he had cut his ponytail and also when he had dropped the Blue Spirit mask into Lake Laogai, and I realized Aang was making the same gesture. He was resigning everything he was, to go into hiding. I realized it must have been as hard for him as it was for Zuko, or rather worse because he was the Avatar, the world's last hope, and letting everyone believe he was dead to protect himself must be an incredibly heavy burden to carry on his shoulders.

I realized at that moment that this kid was entirely and completely different from the kid that I had helped at the South Pole, and he had grown and matured enough as to become the true leader he was supposed to be. I felt a mix of pride at being his friend and admiration for the young Avatar, and I was about to grasp his hand to show him my support, when I remembered he had Katara for that.

Katara gave him an encouraging and loving look as Aang led us back to Appa, and I allowed a tiny smile to form over the corners of my mouth. As much as I wanted to help Aang, I could not help him the same way I had helped Zuko, because he already had a supporting friend. The only thing I could do for him was to be there and help him win this war, but emotionally, he was already complete and he did not need me.

In a way, it was reassuring to know he would be okay, and that our plans still stood, and that we still had a chance to defeat the Fire Lord, but it also reminded me that my place had been with the scarred young man who really needed me, and that now I had lost him forever.

So when I glanced back at the glider and saw it set on fire, I saw not only the Avatar's past life burn to ashes, but also mine, and I realized that things would be different now, and no matter how hard and difficult it was to leave Zuko and Iroh behind, I had a family, a part to play in this war, and a future to look up to. I couldn't continue living in the past.

When Appa soared the now clear skies, and we flew away from the toxic fumes of the volcano, I felt relieved, as if the heavy burden on my shoulders had shrunk. All my doubts, my silence and my pain, began to fall behind, and I knew that night I would have no more nightmares. I knew I would begin to see things differently, and even though the scars would never heal and I would never feel complete again, I had a goal now, I had people to care for, and until the war was over I would have to become the warrior I had always trained to be.

'Are you okay?' Sokka's voice snapped me from my reverie. I looked up and saw worry in his blue eyes.

I smiled, a true, warm smile, unlike any I had given anyone since Ba Sing Se. 'Yes.' I paused for a moment to glance at Aang, who was holding Appa's reigns with a frown of determination on his face.

'Hope is not lost after all.'


End file.
